-)37 STATISTICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE REPORT 

UPON THE * 




MINES, FARMS AND RANGES 



OF 



MADISON COUNTY/MONTANA. 



GEORGE F. COPE, COMPILER. 



VIRGINIA CITY, MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 
September, 1888. 




class F ysV 

Book ftfac^ 



STATISTICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE REPORT 



UPON THE 



MINES, FARMS AND RANGES 



OF 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA, 



GEORGE F. COPE, COMPILER. 



VIRGINIA CITY, MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 
September, 1888. 



11581 




MINES, FARMS AND RANGES 



OF 



1 v^*^ 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 



Messrs. Elling, Harrington, Hickman, Raymond and Farrell, constitut- 
ing the Madison County Railroad Committee, 

Gentlemen: As instructed by you in February last, I have by 
•every means in my power endeavored to procure true and correct 
data from which to report to you the resources of Madison county, 
including the mines, farms and ranges, and the probable tonnage 
the county would afford a railroad. I derived my information on 
which to base my report, in the following manner, and I think 
that beyond peradventure it is reliable and correct, rather under- 
estimating than overestimating in every particular. Feb. 10, 1888, 
I addressed a circular letter, embodying a list of printed questions, 
to every mining man, farmer, stockman and merchant in Madison 
county, which is as follows: 

Virginia City, Feb. 10, 1888. 
Dear Sir: The undersigned, having been selected at a meeting of the 
citizens of Madison county, as a committee of ways and means, to secure the 
building of railroads into and through the county of Madison; and we, the 
committee, deeming it advisable to furnish certain information in relation to 
the agricultural, mining, and stock resources of the county, and the probable 
tonnage that the mines, farms, and ranges of the county could furnish a rail- 
road, take this method to obtain data from which they will be able to make a 
report. 

By answering the following questions in relation to your farm, mine, and 
stock interest and giving the committee any other or further information at 
your command that would be of interest to railroad men you will much oblige, 

Yours respectfully, 

H. Elling, 

E. O. Hickman, 
T. J. Farrell, 

F. Harrington, 
W. Raymond, 

Committee. 

Address all communications to Geo. F. Cope, Virginia City, Montana. 



4 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

. Name of Lode. 

Length of tunnels. 

Description of same. 

Depth and description of Shaft No. 1. 

Depth and description of Shaft No. 2. 

Depth and description of Shaft No. 3. 

Length of levels on Shaft No. 1. 

Length of levels on Shaft No. 2. 

Length of levels on Shaft No. 3. 

Width of vein at each opening. 

Width of pay ore at, each opening. 

Character of ore; please be explicit and describe fully. 

Assay value of ore per ton. 

Gold dollars per ton. 

Silver ounces per ton. 

Lead per cent. 

Copper per cent. 

Iron per cent. 

How many tons have been shipped from the mine? 

How many tons have been worked in the county ? 

How many tons have you on the dumps that would pay to ship with a railroad in the 
county? 

How many tons that will pay for working on the ground? 

How many tons do you estimate there is in sight that would pay for working? 

What did the ore shipped run per ton ; give each shipment? 

What did the ore run per ton worked in the county (average) ? 

About what has been the gross yield of the mine in dollars? 

Add anything you wish in this space in relation to the description of the mine and develop- 
ments. 

How many tons of merchandise, machinery, etc., did you receive during 1887? 

How many tons of ore, etc., did you ship in 1887? 

If you own any coal mines give width of vein, character of coal, and amount of development. 

If you own any placer mines give general description and gross yield for the year 1S87, number 
of men worked, locality, and extent of mine. 



How many acres of land had you in cultivation, including all meadow and hay land, the year 
1887 ? 

How many bushels of wheat did you raise? 

How many bushels of oats did you raise? 

How many bushels of barley did you raise? 

How many bushels of peas did you raise ? 

How many bushels of potatoes did you raise? 

How many pounds of cabbage did you raise? 

Dow many pounds of other vegetables did you raise? 

How many tons of hay did you raise, all kinds? 

How much hay could you raise if you had railroad facilities to ship the same to market? 

How many pounds of butter did you make? 

How many pounds of cheese did you make? 

How many tons of straw, all kinds, did you raise? 

How many beef steers have you ready for market or will you have ready by July next ? 

How many mutton sheep have you ready for market? 

What was'the amount, in pounds, of your wool clip ? 

How many aged horses have you ready for market ? 

How many hogs have you? 

How many cattle of all kinds have you ? 

How many horses of all kinds have you ? 

How many sheep of all kinds have you ? 

How many tons of merchandise did you receive during the year 1887, including machinery of 
all kinds, fence wire, salt, etc.? 

How many tons of produce did you haul or ship from your place during the year 1887 ? 
Sign your name here. 

At first I did not meet with much encouragement from those 
addressed, from the fact that the impression by some means 
obtained, that the real purpose of getting the information desired 
and set forth in the circulars was to increase the assessment of the 
county, get at the true amount of property of every one and turn 
the lists over to the assessor for his guidance. The very fact of 
its being well known that Madison county, at a low estimate, 
contained twice as much taxable property as the assessor's roll 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 



disclosed, gave the report much credence, and the old adage, "The 
guilty flee when no man pursueth" was never more truthfully 
exemplified than in this scare given to our people by the circular 
letter referred to, for my returns show that the county is rich far 
bcj^ond any estimate that has ever been placed upon it. I also 
obtained much valuable information traveling over the county 
visiting and examining mines, ranches and ranges and verifying 
reports which I had received, and I might mention the fact that 
while on these trips I conversed with a large number of the people 
of all sections of the county and found them thoroughly aroused 
on the subject of inducing railroads to be built into the county, 
and a free right of way could be obtained through any neighbor- 
hood in the county, the people are concerned to so great an extent 
in the enterprise. 

On my several trips I was impressed very forcibly with the 
large area of unoccupied and vacant land in the county, and nat- 
urally inquired the cause. I was invariably informed that there 
was no means of transporting the product of the land now culti- 
vated, therefore poor encouragement on that account to either cul- 
tivate more of the occupied land, or for persons to locate the vacant 
land; the universal cry is, "my granary is full and I can not sell 
at any price; true, I can haul to Butte or Boulder, but the price I 
would get for my load would not more than pay for the wagon 
transportation." On this account there is ten per cent less land 
being cultivated in 1888 than there was in 1887. It is true of 
some of the vacant land, "that it will require a large outlay of cap- 
ital to put water upon it, but take for instance the Jefferson valley 
in Madison county, from Silver Star to the mouth of South Boul- 
der; it is estimated that there are several thousand acres of unoc- 
cupied land on the east south of the valley, which is known to be 
the very best wheat land in Montana; the few farmers scattered 
here and there along who have appropriated the waters of the 
small mountain streams coursing across this vast plateau, have 
demonstrated the fact that this particular section is peculiarly fa- 
vored as to frosts, and frosted grain was never known in that lo- 
cality. 

To make this vast area of land available, large and long irrigat- 
ing canals must be constructed conveying the waters of the Jeffer- 
son river upon the land. With the granaries full, of the farmers 
who are now cultivating but an iota of the land, it is poor encour- 
agement for anyone either by his labor or capital to build canals to 
make this land productive; however, with a railroad through the 



6 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

valley, judging from what has taken place after the advent of rail- 
roads into other valleys of far less promise, all the vast area re- 
ferred to would be occupied in less than a year and within two be 
made to produce more than the entire county does at present. The 
same may also correctly be said of the Madison valley in Madison 
county; there are thousands of acres of unoccupied land and thou- 
sands of inches of water in the river. but> the condition of things 
is such, that the water and the land will never be brought to- 
gether until there is a railroad through the county to transport 
what the two can produce. 

The existing condition of things as regards our agricultural in- 
terests will apply even more forcibly to our mining interests, and 
that which is true of the one is true of the other. While every 
range of mountains in the county is ribbed with gold, silver, lead, 
copper and iron mines, there is no great amount of work being 
done upon them on account of the great distance to rail transpor- 
tation. It is patent to all and therefore not worth the saying, that 
a quartz mine out of reach of a railroad unless it be a high grade 
free gold mine, has nothing but a prospective value. It is rare in 
any country that a mine is found so rich that it will be remunera- 
tive without railroad advantages near by. Not having such ad- 
vantages, while our neighboring counties have been fortunate 
enough to secure them, is the true secret of Madison county being 
behind her neighbors in prosperity to-day. 

It is claimed by experts that there are more paying quartz, 
propositions in the Tobacco Eoot range (which divides the county) 
than there are in any other county in Montana; though this very 
range, rich as it is, is so located, and the wealth it contains is so 
situated, that it is a barrier to successful quartz mining, without, 
and it seems that in its very creation, a railroad is demanded for 
the successful mining of the properties it contains. To illustrate : 
On the east and Madison slope, the mines are all gold bearing, re- 
fractory iron ores, while on the west and Euby slope the mines are 
all silver-lead with the impassable summit of the range dividing 
the two. The character of the ores is such that they should be 
worked together, and were they together or could they be brought 
together at reasonable cost, they would make the most productive 
gold mining district in the world. From personal knowledge I 
know that there would have been two smelter plants erected on 
the east side of this range last season — one on Meadow creek and 
one at Pony — could the companies who had the matter in hand 
have been successful in finding lead ores with which to work the 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. t 

gold-iron properties of those localities. On the west slope, though 
having an abundance of lead, there is no iron with which to work 
the same. Silver-lead ores must have iron, as gold-iron ores must 
have lead, and though the county has both, in larger quantities 
than has any other county in Montana, still, like Tantalus, with 
this vast wealth in the midst of us, indeed, within our grasp, we 
are practically starving for the want and necessity of a railroad to 
transport the wealth of the one section to the wealth of the other 
that both may be worked successfully and give*us life. I feel con- 
fident, after making a thorough and crucial examination of the 
mines, that a railroad traversing the county within reach of these 
silver-lead and gold-iron districts would derive a larger tonnage in 
ores, concentrates, fuel, etc., from them than is now furnished by 
Wickes to the Wickes branch, or even by Butte to the Montana 
Union. 

There are mountains of concentrating gold-iron ores on the east 
slope, notably the Pony properties, the Eed Bluff and Potosi 
mines, and the Washington Bar and Eichmond Flat ledges. These 
several districts could furnish, at a low estimate, from 2,000 to 
3,000 tons of ore and concentrates a day. On the west slope, from 
a few miles below Virginia City to below Georgia Gulch, along 
Bivins, Eamshorn, Mill creek, Wisconsin and Indian creek, the 
country seems to be literally underlaid with silver-lead jigging ore, 
while at frequent intervals along the veins large bodies of galena 
are encountered, rich in silver. Within three months after a rail- 
road taps that section, 3,000 tons of silver-lead ore and jig pro- 
ducts each day could be ready for shipment. It seems to me that 
a county that can show any unprejudiced mining man its capacity 
to furnish 3,000 tons of gold-iron ore and 3,000 tons of silver-lead 
ore, daily, from mines within its borders deserves the attention of 
both the Great Falls and Helena smelters, and the managers of 
those plants should become as anxious to secure rail communica- 
tion with a prospective output of such magnitude, as the people 
of this county are to get rail transportation to somebody's smelter 
for their ores. 

At the head of Willow creek, located in the highest mountains 
in the county, are the Potosi belt of silver mines, the ore of which 
is of the chloride and black sulphurets character. Quite a large 
amount of ore has been packed out from these mines on horses 
and mules and shipped to Omaha, Wickes and other places, and no- 
shipment has netted the owners less than one hundred dollars per 
ton. Of course the ore handled in this manner was necessarily 



8 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

assorted ore, and while no inconsiderable portion of the ore con- 
tained in the veins is of this high grade, still the great merit of 
the Potosi belt lies in its vast quantities of low grade ore, of which 
there seems to be an exhaustless amount, the mines being very 
wide true fissure veins in granite, and the shoots of great length. 
I have taken great pains to examine the past history and present 
condition of what is known as the Summit mines, at the head of 
Alder Gulch, and have thought it proper to give you the facts as I 
have obtained them. In the first place I find it is a fact, that 
while Alder Gulch has the credit of having produced more placer 
gold than any other section of Montana, the quartz mines in the 
mountains along its course (partially from the fact of their being 
overshadowed by the great merit of the gulch as a placer gold 
producer, and further from the fact that they were the first quartz 
mines worked in Montana) have not received the credit they de- 
serve and merit. 

I find that in the early days of Alder Gulch it was as easy and 
attended with as little expense to obtain large amounts of gold 
from her quartz mines as it was from her gravel banks. At the 
head of the gulch there are a number of ledges that contained on 
the surface, and for from 100 to 200 feet in depth, large quantities 
of free milling gold ores that were very rich, producing from $500 
to $1,000 per ton. While the placers were at their zenith these 
fine bodies of free milling ore were being worked, and, on account 
of the seemingly limitless quantities of gold then coming out of 
the gulch, attracted no great attention, and were exhausted, that 
is, worked down to the base ore, though in every instance the 
veins continued in width, but with the rude machinery at hand in 
those days, 1864 and 1866, it was found impossible to handle the 
base ores, and these veins that had produced millions of dollars in 
gold from free ores were abandoned at that early day and have 
never been worked since. 

The history of the Oro Cache, a lode of the above class, will 
serve as an example. This mine was discovered in 1863 and was 
very rich in free gold, so rich that small fortunes were made pul- 
verizing the ore in a hand mortar. There were several arastras 
run by horse power erected on the mine, and sometime after a rude 
quartz mill; and I can assure you, having seen the dates and fig- 
ures, that the Oro Cache at that early day and by those rude 
methods produced $1,250,000 in gold, from free gold quartz. The 
mine was " gutted " (the mode of mining in those days) down to 
the base ore and work was suspended, the owners being unable to 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. V 

handle this class of ore, and this great mine lies to-day as it was 
abandoned then, with large bodies of iron sulphides of good grade, 
covered with the debris from the early workings of the mine. The 
history of the Oro Cache is also the history of the Kearsage, from 
which was taken in 1865 and 1866, from free quartz, a half million 
of dollars in gold ; also the Keystone, Lucas, and many others. 

There are 1,500 quartz lodes located in the county of Madison. 
This only covers valid locations, and does not include re-locations 
(the records of the county showing that there have been 6,000 
records of quartz mines made in the county. The 1,500 mines re- 
ferred to are mines that have been located and developed to a 
greater or less extent and many of which have been patented. 
The development work done upon these mines has demonstrated 
that they are valuable properties if they could be worked in proper 
manner. But it is utterly useless for miners to deceive them- 
selves longer with hope of success without capital, machinery and 
rail communication, more especially the latter, as that will bring- 
all the other necessaries to put at least one hundred quartz mines 
in active operation in the county. These same quartz mines are at 
present in a " slough of despond," and in my opinion will remain 
so until they get a railroad on which to ship their ore and bring 
in capital and machinery. I have received reports from about all 
of the prominent mine owners in the county, and to embody in 
this report a reference to each particular mine in the county 
would make it far too voluminous. I have therefore thought best 
to take each district and report on the same as a whole, mention- 
ing only a few of the most prominent mines in particular. 

THE BEDFORD, MELROSE AND EXTENSIONS. 

On the west slope of the Tobaeco Boot range, bordering- the 
Ruby and Jefferson rivers, and including the JVlill creek, Wiscon- 
sin and Georgia mining districts, there has been and is being done 
a large amount of development work; but the absence of proper 
machinery, and the distance to the railroad, prevents the owners 
of the mines from receiving benefit from any except the very high 
grade ore of their output. However, even with the long distance 
to transport, it has been found that these districts contain many 
mines that will produce ore in quantities sufficient to pay the great 
expense of shipping by team and leave a handsome margin. Sev- 
eral hundred tons of ore each season for the last ten years have 
been hauled to Dillon and shipped thence to different smelters. 
The ores of the districts named are unquestionably smelting ores, 



10 MINES. FARMS AND RANGES, 

and in most of the mines that have been developed the ore is what 
is termed wet, or fat ore, that is, containing lead or copper in some 
form in quantities sufficient to assist in smelting other ores of a 
dry or lean character, containing neither of the above properties; 
therefore the mines of these districts can correctly be termed wet 
ore mines, a character of ore that all smelters must have to assist 
the working of the high grade dry-lean ores. 

That the section of country extending from a few miles north- 
west of Virginia City almost forty miles along the west slope of 
the Tobacco Boot range, contains such ore in fabulous quantities is 
beyond question; true this character of ore is low grade (in silver 
and gold), as such ore is in most other localities, but it is fat in lead 
and in some of the mines also in copper. For example, from in- 
formation received through reports from the owners and personal 
examination I find that the Bedford and Melrose mines, which are 
silver-lead properties and cover two full claims, have a width of 
vein of fiftv feet, well defined, the entire vein containing: first class 
jigging ore, the lead appearing as a sulphide, or galena, carrying 
silver with a silica gangue. The ore contains from 30 to 50 per 
cent lead, 25 ounces of silver and five dollars gold to the ton. 
One hundred and fifty tons of hand assorted ore has been shipped 
to the Omaha smelter from the mine, which netted the owner $30 
per ton over transportation and working; this of course, was 
hauled to Dillon by wagon, a distance of 50 miles. A tunnel has 
been run 100 feet into the mine, and a shaft sunk 50 feet. Some 
months since a Helena syndicate bonded the property, erected a 
complete steam hoist and pumping plant, and is developing the 
mine by sinking a two-compartment shaft, which is expected to 
cut the vein at a depth of 200 feet; a depth of 150 feet has 
already been attained. If the mine proves to be as good when 
cut by the straight shaft as it is in the other openings, large con- 
centrating works will be erected this fall, a force of men will be 
put to work and the output will be concentrated for shipment. 
The development work that is being done upon this mine is being 
watched with a very keen interest, both by our mining men and 
citizens generally. There have been several extensions located 
upon the vein and experts claim that it can be traced on the surface 
for a distance of ten miles, showing large bodies of galena most of 
the distance. It is confidently asserted by men who claim to 
know, that this ledge alone will furnish tonnage sufficient to pay 
well for the operating of a railroad up the Ruby valley. I know 
from personal examination, having had experience in such matters, 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 11 

that the Bedford, Melrose and their extensions, if worked to their 
full capacity, would produce more ore than is now being mined in 
Jefferson and Lewis and Clark counties combined. This ledge is 
10 miles in length and from 30 to 50 feet in width, filled with ore 
that will pay to jig, with a railroad to transport the product. 
These are facts. Were there a railroad within easy reach, these 
mines would furnish from 500 to 1,000 tons of ore and concentrates 
a day for shipment. Near by are the 



HIGHLAND MARY, AGITATOR, MATCHLESS AND GAEL. 

These mines are quite promising properties and considerable 
development has been done upon them. The character of the ore is 
oxide and sulphuret of iron — dry ores, carrying gold — and assays 
from $30 to $100 per ton. The ore is base, however, and can not 
be worked with any machinery now in the county, but would 
work in nicely with the wet ores described above. Developments 
show about 10,000 tons of ore in sight that would pay to work. 

BIG CHIEF MINE. 

On Mill creek, a few miles further west in the same range 
(which creek, by the by, gives one of the finest water powers in 
Montana and on which can be found admirable points for the 
erection of smelters), is located the Big Chief mine, which is one 
of the strongest mines I have ever examined, as well as one of the 
most promising. The ore is a dry ore, but can not be treated suc- 
cessfully except by the smelter, as it is very refractory. The ore 
contains silver, gold, oxide and sulphide of iron, manganese, copper, 
also a small per cent of lead, and it is claimed a telluride of each 
of these metals, besides other metals of no value, but tending to 
make the ore refractory; however, there would be no difficulty in 
working by smelting process in conjunction with the wet ores of 
the vicinity. The mine carries some very rich ore; assays showing 
as high as $1,700 have been made, supposed, though, to have been 
from samples containing unobserved telluride of gold. There have 
been several car loads of the ore shipped to Butte and Omaha. 
One shipment run $225 per ton and another $135. I take no one's 
word for this, as I have seen the returns as they came from the 
smelters. 



12 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES. 



THE BUCKEYE GROUP. 



The Buckeye Group of mines, near by, consists of five locations 
upon the same vein, not only the whole length of which, but also 
the entire width of 600 feet, is a mass of ore and mineralized rock, 
and from the surface developments it would seem that to dig any 
place on the ground would show up ore. The mine, I think, will 
prove to be, when developed, a silver-lead property ; now it shows 
gold, silver, galena, carbonates, sulphide of iron and copper. 

The property has every indication of developing into a first class 
concentrating proposition. While some very fair grade assays have 
been reported to me, I think the great value in the mine lies in its 
promise of being a large producer of low grade jigging ores. For 
a fact, it is thought by myself as well as many others, that the en- 
tire surface of the mountain for several feet in depth would pay to 
work with plow and scraper and run through jigs, if there were 
facilities for shipping the concentrates. This group would furnish 
at least 100 tons of ore daily were there a railroad in the valley. 

THE BULLION. 

I have been thoroughly familiar with the Bullion mine, also near 
Mill creek, for 20 years, and I candidly think with the same sur- 
roundings and in the same hands, it would have equaled as an ore 
producer the famous Alta, or the Comet, of Jefferson county. Sit- 
uated as it is, 40 miles from a railroad and much further from 
works that could handle the ore, it has been remunerative to the 
owner, having shipped more ore than perhaps any mine in the 
county to distant works. The vein is strong and wide, containing 
a wet ore that is high grade in galena with very little gangue. 
Most of the output could be most profitably worked as it comes 
from the mine, without concentrating, though the vein contains 
considerable jigging ore as well. The ore shipped was of course 
the best and cleanest galena that came out, and run, on an average, 
144 ounces silver, $8 gold, and 40 per cent lead to the ton. Now 
I do not wish to be understood as reporting the mine to promise to 
produce any great quantity of ore as high grade as that shipped, 
though there have been 160 tons of such ore shipped and there are 
many tons as good in the mine, but it is interspersed with ore of a 
lower grade, and, while the entire vein is not so rich, it all contains 
silver-lead sufficient to make it almost a high grade property of 
that character of ore. The mine is at present being worked by a 
Helena syndicate, and with the mines of the company adjoining 
-could furnish a railroad from 50 to 100 tons of ore daily. There 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 13 

has been a tunnel driven in on the vein 650 feet; this is at present 
being pushed further into the mountain and is developing the 
mine most thoroughly. 

THE BROADGUAGE. 

The Broadguage in the same vicinity is a low grade free gold 
mine from which 20,000 tons of ore have been worked in a stamp 
mill near by ; the ore averaged about $8 per ton, and the gross pro- 
duct of the mine has been $160,000 in gold. All the free ore has 
been extracted and it is now in base. 

THE TOLEDA. 

There is a mine just north of the Bullion owned by Butte parties 
that is an immense vein deposit of low grade silver-lead ore and 
rivals the Bedford in extent. The vein has been developed with a 
tunnel running in on its course some 200 feet, at the end of which 
a shaft has been sunk 50 feet, throughout which workings the vein' 
shows to be from 15 to 30 feet in width ; there are 5 feet of 
galena that come from the mine ready for the smelter, containing 
about 40 per cent lead and 20 ounces of silver to the ton ; there are 
also 10 feet of the vein that yields good jigging ore which will 
reduce to about 40 per cent ; the gangue is silica, the concentrates 
being worth about 30 ounces silver and 60 per cent lead. The out- 
put of this mine if worked to its capacity would be governed solely 
by the facilities for handling the ore. and would be only a question 
of transportation. The ore from the mine could be delivered at a 
concentrator on Mill creek for $1 per ton, including mining and 
carriage. The mine could be made to furnish from 100 to 200 tons 
per day. It is not worked at present, as the ore will not bear 
wagon transportation to the railroad. There have been a few car 
loads shipped from the mine to Butte and Omaha simply to test 
its value, and I understand nothing more will be done in the mine 
until railroads are nearer, as wagon hauling consumes too great a 
per cent of the margin left after paying for reducing, etc. 

THE BELLE MINE, MILL CREEK. 

The Belle lode at the head of Mill creek and near the dividing- 
line between the silver-lead and gold-iron producing sections, 
strangely produces ore dissimilar to that of either locality, being a 
telluride, or tetradymite, and therefore very high grade, assavino- 
as high as $4,460 gold per ton. There have been 71£ tons of the 
ore worked on the ground by arasta process, which produced 



14 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

$5,000 gold. By that process it is not supposed that more than an 
infinitesimal portion of the gold contained in the ore was saved. 
The mine is well developed by tunnels and shafts to a depth of 180 
feet, and 150 feet of levels have been run. The vein is 3 to 4 feet 
wide, containing from 4 to 18 inches of ore. The tellurium ore 
will of course require smelting, which will have to be packed on 
horses from the inaccessable locality at a cost of $40 per ton. 

THE PLYMOUTH ROCK. 

The Plymouth Eock, a free milling vein in the same district, has 
a tunnel 200 feet in length, and a shaft 50 feet in depth, from which 
there have been mined and milled in the neighborhood of 160 tons 
of ore, yielding $4,000. 

THE M. G. & M. CO. GROUP. 

The M. G. & M. Co., of Chicago, have a group of mines in the 
Wisconsin district, which are thought very highly of by mining 
men who have examined them and are known as the Cousin Sal- 
lie, Kenebec and Gen. Jackson. The Cousin Sallie has 300 feet of 
tunnels and two shafts, 90 and 190 feet deep. The surface ore is 
said to have been free gold and yielded $52 in an arasta; the ore 
in sight now is base, being chloride and carbonate of lead, assay- 
ing 10 to 30 ounces in silver, $9 gold, and 30 per cent lead to the 
ton; the vein is from 4 to 6 feet wide. The Kenebec has a 70 foot 
tunnel following the vein which is from 2 to 4 feet wide, filled 
with silicate and black manganese, reported to assay $40 gold, 10 
ounces silver and 30 per cent lead. The Gen. Jackson has had 
very little development work done upon it; the vein is 4 feet wide, 
of silicate andiron pyrites, also some little galena and a crystalli- 
zation that indicates that the Jackson will be like other leads iu 
the neighborhood, a lead producer when explored; reported assays 
show $40 gold and 20 per cent lead. One thousand tons of ore 
ready for shipment now lie on the dumps of this group of mines. 

THE COMPANY NO. 1. 

The Company No. 1, in the same district, has a tunnel into the 
vein 222 feet long, one shaft 100 feet deep and another 75 feet; the 
vein is from 3 to 6 feet wide, with 2 feet of ore that assays $75 
gold and 20 ounces silver to the ton, contained in a character of 
ore that is termed free milling, though I think but a small portion 
of the assay value can be saved by such process. There have 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 15 

been 600 tons of the ore milled in the county which gave a return 
of $33 per ton. There are said to be several thousand tons of 
ore in sight in the mine. 

THE NOBLE GROUP. 

Several locations belonging to this group as I understand it, are 
extensions of the Company No. 1. The Noble property was sold 
some months since to a St. Louis company for $95,000, and I under- 
stand is called a free gold proposition, at least it has been worked 
-as such for the last 12 or 15 years and has been fairly remunera- 
tive. The ore is quartz with some white pyrites and oxide of iron 
intermingled therewith. 1 have been unable to get data on which 
to make a report as to yield or present condition of this property. 
All the ore heretofore mined has been worked in the company's 
mill on the ground. There are several thousand tons of vanner 
concentrates at the mill and a large amount of tailings, that T have 
been informed would make from $75 to $100 concentrates. The 
mine and mill are being worked at the present time. 

THE DAMSAL GROUP. , 

What is known as the Damsal Group, in the same district, con- 
sisting of the Damsal, Champion, Sheridan and Gray Eagle mines, 
.are all free milling. The Champion has been explored with a tun- 
nel seven hundred and fifty feet on the course of the vein, at which 
point the Sheridan vein was cut running at right angles with the 
Champion vein. The Damsal and Gray Eagle have also been 
thoroughly developed and all shown to be fine properties. The 
ore discovered in all of them is of the same character — quartz with 
little or no base mineral — and if there is such a thing, these are 
free milling mines. The veins are large, well defined and regular, 
well filled with a good grade of ore. The openings are such that 
it is small cost to mine the ore, of which there are many thousand 
tons in sight. The company, composed of Chicago men of large 
means, is engaged in making further developments, uncovering 
more ore and working the output in so doing in a five-stamp free 
gold mill, saving only what gold adheres to the plates, of which I 
am told there is sufficient to pay all expense of the extensive ex- 
plorations they are making besides leaving a nice margin.* The 
last run made by the mill of several hundred tons of ore, yielded 
thirty-two dollars a ton in gold ; the expense of mining and milling 
was less than ten dollars a ton. These facts, taken in considera- 
tion with the great bodies of ore uncovered in the several mines, 



16 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

place this propeiMy, when worked to their capacity, side by side in 
promise with the best dividend mines in the territory. The com- 
pany, however, has shown no other desire, except to develope the 
properties and throw large bodies of ore in sight in several mines; 
if it were otherwise, a hundred stamps could be kept dropping on 
ore as readily as the five being run ; they are evidently getting the 
property in shape for a boom, a la Crews-Drum Lummond, and my 
judgment is, that the Damsel Group will rival that great free gold 
mine when the time comes. 

THE FAIRVIEW. 

The Fairview,also in the Wisconsin district, is an immense lead of 
carbonate deposit, carrying 15 per cent lead and 20 ounces silver. 
The ore is 20 feet wide and the ledge can be traced on the surface 
for several thousand feet; the vein is in a contact of lime and gran- 
ite and will be a large producer of low grade silver-lead ore as soon 
as there are shipping facilities at hand or demand for such ores in 
the vicinity. The ores from this mine will work excellently with 
the dry ores of the Damsel and Noble groups, which are near by. 
There is a large reef of silicious limestone very near the mine and 
fine water power can be obtained right at hand for smelting pur- 
poses. 

HIGH RIDGE. 

In the same range, and northwest a few miles, are the Tidal 
Wave, Georgia and Bear Gulch districts, across which a grand 
ledge courses from east to west, and on which there have been seven 
locations made of 1,500 feet each in length. The vein has been 
uncovered here and there for a distance of two- miles and about the 
same character of ore is found the entire distance, being, galena 
and carbonate. The country rock is lime. The most western 
mine on this great ledge is the High Eidge, which has been fairly 
developed and several car loads of ore have been shipped there- 
from, I understand with fair results, but the wagon transportation 
of forty miles, added to that of rail and reducing the ore, was a lit- 
tle more than it would stand and leave a margin, but it is claimed 
that with railroad facilities the vein could be worked with. a good 
profit. 

THE SATURDAY NIGHT. 

Next on the ledge is the Saturday Night, that produces the same 
grade of galena and carbonate ore that is found in the High Eidge. 
This mine also has been pretty well developed by tunnels and 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 17 

shafts, and has shipped twenty-five tons to Omaha that proved that 
it would be first-class ore, if worked near by or were it within reach 
of a railroad. 

THE VAN METER. 

The-next mine on the vein is the Yan Meter, which, like the 
•others, has been developed sufficiently to show it to contain the 
same character of ore. with a good promise generally. t 

THE KEYNOTE. 

Then comes the Keynote, on the same vein, reported as follows: 
One shaft sunk with the dip of the vein, which is 15 degrees 
north, to the depth of 100 feet, and levels driven 150 feet each way 
on the vein from the bottom of the shaft. Throughout the entire 
openings, the vein is of galena and carbonate ore, from 2 to 3 feet 
wide, which produces by actual reduction (the ore being shipped as 
soon as it is mined to Omaha and other smelters) $20 gold, 38 
ounces silver and 60 per cent lead to the ton. The owner is 
taking the world easy, has enough ore in sight to last him his 
lifetime, and says he don't care a damn whether a railroad is built 
to his camp or not, as his ore will pay to haul with bulls, clear to 
Omaha, with a little "closer sortin'," and as for taking out more 
of it he would rather have the money in the mine than in the 
bank. He is taking out from five to twenty tons a week, just as 
the notion suits him, though he could as easily knock down that 
much a day. 

THE FLORA. 

The next mine on the ledge is the Flora. This mine has been 
developed sufficiently to show it to be about the same character 
and grade as other portions of the ledge, with a good showing of 
galena and carbonates. 

THE FUSILADE. 

The Fusilade adjoining on the same ledge has about the same 
general appearance and outlook. 

THE DILLIBAUGH. 

The Dillibaugh adjoining on the same vein has been explored to 
a somewhat greater extent, showing, though, the same galena and 
carbonate ore, of which one shipment has been made to Omaha. 
2 



18 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

THE EMPIRE. 

In the same locality is the Empire State mine, with a first rate 
showing for an extraordinarily fine mine, on which there has been run 
a tunnel 255 feet long, uncovering one of the strongest, best defined 
and most regular veins in the district, containing as it does from 
6 to 8 feet of galena and carbonate ore that has been returning the 
-owners $90 per ton. Thus far the output of choice ore has gone to 
the Omaha smelter, but it is the purpose of the company to erect 
concentrating works and hereafter reduce the shipping ore as well as 
the low grade galena, to a high grade of lead concentrates and ship 
the product. Heretofore they have been obliged to pay nine dol- 
lars per ton wagon freight which has necessitated the shipping of 
only selected ore. 

THE GRAY CLOUD. 

Strange as it may seem in the midst of this carbonate country 
there is a free gold vein, Gray Cloud by name, that has produced 
350 tons of ore that milled from $60 to $90 per ton. The ore is 
iron pyrites. The owners claim to have 40 tons of such ore on 
the dump and 300 tons in sight. 

THE DORA. 

High up on the mountain is the Dora, a silver-lead vein which 
has been explored to some extent and from which a few shipments 
have been made to Omaha. I understand they were satisfactory 
and the mine will resume work in a few weeks. 

SILVER PLUME, HEAD LIGHT AND CHIDA DEA. 

In Bear Gulch there are quite a number of promising properties. 
Among others are the North Star, silver-lead, which assays 80 
ounces silver to the ton ; the Chida Dea, also silver-lead, assaying 
72 ounces silver; the Silver Plume, silver-lead, assaying 60 ounces 
silver per ton ; and the Head Light, also silver-lead, which assays 
55 ounces silver and 45 per cent lead to the ton, all of which have 
had more or less work done upon them. 

On the Edwin Forrest a shaft has been sunk 100 feet, at which 
depth a fine body of pay ore was encountered 4£ feet wide con- 
taining $21 gold and $2 silver to the ton. 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 19 



PONY DISTRICT. 



We will now cross this Tobacco Root range and presto, change; 
from being in a silver-lead country we are now in the most exten- 
sive iron-gold section on the continent. While it was lead, lead, 
lead, over there, it is iron, iron, iron, over here; there we had hills 
of lead, while here we have mountains of auriferous iron. There 
is very little silver or lead on this side; ten and twelve years back 
there was some very rich free gold ore found on the surface of the 
mines and several fortunes were made working the same, but the 
veins are now all down to base ore. The district is a dry ore camp, 
though its ores, which are iron pyrites with oxides of iron mixed 
through, would be very advantagous to combine with the wet ores 
of the other side. Strawberry mountain, for a distance of a mile 
in length and 600 to 1,000 feet in width, is one mass of iron 
pyrites, quartz, porphyry and mineralized rock, containing gold in 
greater or less quantities. There have been several locations 
made as separate veins, parallel to each other on this mountain, 
but I am inclined to believe that they are but one monster ledge 
coursing up and down the mountain. There has been a tunnel 
run cutting the formation and mountain at right-angles with the 
ledges on the same. From the mouth of the tunnel the rock is 
impregnated more or less with iron and continues so a distance of 
seventy-five feet, at which point the Keystone vein is cut by the 
tunnel, disclosing a large body of sulphide ore. There have been 
several thousand tons of ore milled from this point and other open- 
ings on the Keystone vein which yielded $15 in free gold per ton. 
While this ore was called free and was milled as such, it was really 
semi-base, and not more than 60 per cent of the value was ob- 
tained. The vein is very strong and pronounced fissure, from 12 
to 20 feet in width, filled with first class concentrating ore, with 
here and there stratas of very high grade gold rock showing on 
the face, from which samples could be obtained that would go up 
into the hundreds. A sample, taken without regard to choice from 
across the face of the several openings, gives an average assay of 
$25 per ton ; about five tons of the ore can be run into one, making 
concentrates of a very good grade, and being as they would be, 
iron sulphides, a very desirable product for smelters working wet 
or silver-lead ores. 

In the tunnel referred to above, 96 feet from the Keystone, the 
vein known as the Crevice No. 1 was cut. In running this 96 feet 
numerous small stratas of iron pyrites were crossed and the rock, 



20 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

the entire distance; is strongly mineralized and considerably im- 
pregnated with iron; a chip taken miscellaneously along the 96 feet 
will assay from $5 to $8 in gold to the ton. Levels have been ex- 
tended, east and west along the Crevice No. 1, and from the point 
where the tunnel cuts the vein, for a distance of 200 feet, several 
upraises have been made, all of which have disclosed fine bodies of 
ore on every side, averaging five to six feet in width. The Crevice 
differs little from the Keystone, except that it contains more 
pyrites and less gangue, and while it can not be reduced to as 
great an extent as the former, it will probably yield cleaner con- 
centrates, as the iron is more confined in the rock and not so dis- 
seminated, while at the same time containing more gold. 

The vein samples, taking the entire width of the face, in all the 
openings, from $35 to $45 per ton in gold and 5 to 6 ounces in 
silver. Seventy-six feet from the Crevice No. 1 the tunnel cuts 
the Crevice vein. This mine has been a great producer of so-called 
free milling ore, though had the ore been worked as base, the 
owners would have received double the returns they did from the 
mine. One run of 400 tons yielded $70 per ton, while another run 
of 400 tons gave a return of $90 per ton. About all of this class 
of ore has been stoped out and the Crevice is now called (as it 
should have been when discovered) a base ore gold mine. The 
explorations have disclosed immense bodies of fine iron pyrites, 
with just enough peacock copper and copper pyrites to make the 
ore attractive in appearance and convince the most skeptical that 
it is a great property. The Crevice, like the Crevice No. 1, pro- 
duces as good concentrating ore as could be desired ; however, 
quite a proportion of the output, judging from several hundred 
tons now lying on the dump, and the showing in the openings, will 
be ready for the smelter as it is knocked down from the vein, con- 
taining as it does very little gangue. Samples taken from all the 
openings, and across the face in every instance, averaged by assay 
from $30 to $50 per ton, the ore body measuring about five feet. 

The Strawberry mine proper lies some 200 feet further into the 
hill and the tunnel has not been extended far enough to cut it as 
yet. Two tunnels cutting the vein at a less depth, however, have 
been run and a shaft sunk 115 feet with levels run each way, all of 
which have developed the Strawberry very thoroughly. If there 
is such a thing as distinguishing the one from the other, the Straw- 
berry shows to be the big mine of the hill, as the ore bodies are 
much larger and the developments indicate that it would be the 
greatest producer if put to its mettle. The vein is large and well 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 21 

filled with an excellent class of concentrating ore. The concen- 
trates are sulphide and mono-oxide of iron, a product that would 
be greatly sought after by smelters were the mine within reach of 
a railroad. In early days this mine produced several thousand 
tons of high grade free gold rock from upper workings. The out- 
put of the mine at present (it is being worked) is from 25 to 30 
tons per day, of free milling ore from surface openings made this 
spring. The ore is being milled in a free gold mill near at hand. 
Samples from all the levels in base ore, taken across the face, give 
an average assay of $30 a ton. 

The Willow Creek mine is an extension and on the Strawberry 
vein. This mine is one of tlie most perfect fissures I have ever 
examined, the walls are as regular and smooth as a marble slab, 
with a gangue of 8 to 10 inches of talc on the hanging. The vein 
is from 6 to 10 feet in width, filled with ore that will concentrate 
readily 4 tons into one, making a very desirable product, consist- 
ing of sulphide of iron, containing five ounces of gold to the ton. 
The ore contains no silver excepting that in combination with the 
gold. The Willow Creek has been one of the largest producers of 
free milling ore ever worked in the county. There has been a tun- 
nel driven into the mountain, which is very abrupt, six hundred 
feet, about on the line of demarcation or change in the ore body 
from free milling to base, through which tunnel the free milling 
ore has all been extracted and conveyed from the vein overhead. 
How many tons have been thus worked I am unable to report, 
though I am assured that it has been several thousand, all of which 
was rich, many runs going as high as $100 a ton ; the mine has 
produced not less than a quarter of a million of dollars in gold, but 
this is considered by experts to be a mere bagatelle in comparison 
to what lies in the immense deposits of base ore which have been 
uncovered in the mine, but which can not be made available until 
railroads are constructed to the vicinity. The Ned mine, running 
nearly parallel with the Willow Creek and supposed to be an ex- 
tension of one of the veins on Strawberry Hill, has been worked 
for a number of years and has produced a great many tons of high 
grade free milling ore, all of which has been stoped out above 
water level. There is a tunnel being driven at present to tap the 
vein at a much lower level, which will drain the mine. The above 
described mines are all patented and well developed and the only 
reason they have not taken their merited places along side of the 
great producers and dividend paying mines of the territory is their 
isolation from rail transportation, being just such a class of mines 



22 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

as can not be operated profitably without a railroad convenient; 
containing ore, desirable ore, in unlimited quantities but not carry- 
ing gold sufficient to bear wagon transportation to distant works, 
neither is it rich enough to bear the wagoning of wet ores and fuel 
into the locality to enable the working of the product of the mines 
on the ground. Therefore the situation has resolved itself into 
this; a railroad must be had for the successful working of the 
mines or they must remain comparatively idle. Strawberry Hill 
and the Willow Creek mine, I am confident, after a thorough in- 
spection of the mines and openings, could be made to furnish 1,000 
tons of ore and concentrates a day, of fair grade in gold, the ore 
about 30 per cent sulphide of iron and the concentrates 85 per cent 
to 95 per cent sulphide of iron. These mines are at the head of 
one of the most productive valleys in Montana, the product of 
which is now being hauled by wagon to Butte, Boulder and other 
points, and I am informed at least 200 horses are continually so 
employed. 

There are eight or ten other very promising mines in the dis- 
trict, of about the same grade and character as those reported 
upon. To particularize as to each, would necessitate the repeti- 
tion of about the same words as have been used in reporting the 
Keystone, Ned and others. There are upon the dumps and in the 
mills of the several mines of the district, over 2,000 tons of base 
ore and concentrates awaiting a railroad for shipment. 

THE EMMETT MINE. 

The Emmett ledge in the same locality has a tunnel 25 feet in 
length, two shafts 100 and 140 feet in depth, from which have been 
run levels 210 and 160 feet in length. The vein is from 3 to 6 feet 
wide, containing from 6 to 30 inches of free milling pay ore. There 
have been 700 tons of ore from the mine milled in the county, 
averaging $30 a ton, though some of the runs went very high, 
sampling frequently as high as $250 a ton. The ore contains but 
little base metal, most of the output having been honey-comb quartz, 
easily mined and worked. It is now stoped out down to water 
level; what is under the water has not been ascertained. 

RED BLUFF DISTRICT. 

Twelve miles from Pony and on the same east slope of the To- 
bacco Root range, is Bed Bluff district, another gold-iron camp 
equal in extent, development and richness to Pony. There are 
several veins in that district which were they in Lewis and Clark 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 23 

or Silver Bow counties, within the reach of a railroad, would be 
second to none in Montana as producers and dividend paying 
mines. Chief among these is 



a mine showing to be wonderfully strong, well defined, remarkably 
regular and a true fissure vein beyond question. The G-olconda 
has been developed and explored more thoroughly than any other 
mine in the county. Tunnel No. 1 on the mine has been extended 
845 feet, following the vein. Tunnel No. 2, 190 feet, and tunnel 
No. 3, 75 feet. Shaft No. 1, 25 feet in depth; shaft No. 2, 107 feet; 
shaft No. 3, 55 feet, and shaft No. 4, 60 feet. Three levels have also 
been run ; No. 1, 100 feet in length, No. 2, 100 feet in length and 
No. 3, 100 feet in length, being an aggregate length of openings on 
the mine of 1,597 feet, disclosing fine bodies of ore throughout and 
showing up by actual measurement 30,000 tons of ore that can be 
mined at a cost not exceeding $2 per ton. The ore bodies are from 
8 to 15 feet in width, as demonstrated by numerous cross-cuts 
made in the several openings, all workable ore The ore is a de- 
composed quartz, carrying iron sulphide, with tellurium in con- 
junction with gold and the baser metals, rendering the ore very re- 
fractory to work in any manner except with the smelter. It is a 
dry smelting ore and can not be worked successfully otherwise. 
There have been hundreds of samples taken from every portion of 
the mine for analysis, which gave a return of from $38 to $150 per 
ton, gold; a general average of all assays gave $40 gold and two 
and one-half ounces silver. Fifty tons of the ore have been shipped 
to smelting works, in three lots. Lot No. 1 gave a return of $36 
gold per ton, No. 2 gave $92 per ton and lot No. 3, of 20 tons, gave 
$65 per ton. Lots No. 2 and 3 were assorted to some extent; lot 
No. 1 was shipped just as it came out of the mine, and was if any- 
thing below the average value of the ore body. These shipments 
were made as a test and not, of course, for profit therein contained. 
There have been 700 tons of the ore worked by free mill on the 
ground, which gave an average return of $13 per ton. There are 
about 500 tons of ore on the dump, there has been no stopingdone 
in the mine and the ore bodies are intact, the owners having been 
desirous only to completely develop the property. After trying 
every means to work the ore with machineiy at hand, which is a 
free gold mill, and not succeeding in saving more than 30 per cent 
of the gold, they tried hauling by wagon to the railroad and ship- 
ping to a smelter, but the cost was so great that they abandoned 



24 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

it, as they could plainly see almost the entire product of the mine 
with such a course would be consumed by the teamster, the rail- 
road and the smelter. They are therefore placidly and prayer- 
fully awaiting the advent of a railroad to the district, which they 
feel confident will come. But there is the rub; they are getting 
old ; one of them has no heirs to leave the mine to, who could wait 
another decade or two for a railroad to be built to the county. The 
mine will produce, if worked commensurate with openings and ca- 
pacity, 200 tons of ore a day. In going through the several tun- 
nels and shafts, one travels nearly a third of a mile, and I have 
never seen a mine that showed ore so universally on every side. 

THE WATER LODE. 

The Water Lode, near by, has a tunnel 60 feet, and another 85 
feet in length, both on the ledge. The vein is 5 feet in width with 
a 4 foot width of pay ore. The ore is sulphide intermingled with 
mono-oxide of iron and some little galena. 

The ore is high grade, but one of the most unsatisfactory veins 
to sample that I know of; it is not uncommon to get a sample 
from across the face assaying as high as $400 a ton, while a second 
sample taken from near the same place would not go more than 
$40 per ton. Gold predominates in this mine, as in most others on 
this side of the mountain. There have been 200 tons of the ore 
worked by free mill process, which gave an average return of $30 
per ton. To secure this 200 tons the free ore was selected from 
the dumps, and there are now 1,500 tons of base ore on the same 
which will have to be shipped for reduction. 

THE RED BLUFF LODE. 

Dividing the honors with the Golconda as a noted ledge of this 
camp is the Eed Bluff, from which the district takes its name. 
This mine was discovered in 1866 and was worked successfully for 
many years as a free milling property. Twent}^ and twenty-two 
years ago it was one of the most noted mines in the territory, but 
after the extraction of the surface free ore it lost its prestige until, 
in later years, the large bodies of base ore were uncovered in 
seeking free ore on the lower levels. The ledge is a very strong 
one and one of the best defined in the county. The surface ore 
was quartz, jasper and peroxide of iron which, near water level, 
changed to sulphide of iron with silicious gangue matter. The 
deepest exploration is a shaft 170 feet in depth which was sunk 
some 20 years ago. Considering the mode used for freeing mines 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 25 

of water at that date, it was very wet. A very fine body of sul- 
phide of iron, mingled with which is antimony, arsenic, copper and 
galena, was encountered at the bottom of this shaft. There is 
only a small portion of the ore that is gangue, and therefore it 
can be hand assorted sufficiently to make a good grade of smelt- 
ing ore, were there a smelter at hand or rail facilities for trans- 
porting the ore. There has been a tunnel run, commencing at the 
base of the hill and driven at almost right angles with the course 
of the vein, cutting the same a distance of 400 feetfrom the mouth 
of the tunnel and some distance below water level, but on tapping 
the vein it was discovered that most of the ore above that level 
had been mined out, and the flow of water was so great coming 
from the shaft, which is 30 feet lower than the level of the tunnel, 
that heavy pumping machinery was found to be necessary before 
the mine could be worked to a deeper level. The owners not hav- 
ing the capital required and in view of the fact of there being no 
works near in which the ore could be reduced, and no mode of 
transporting the same to such works, further developments were 
deferred until the present or future generations shall construct 
works in or a railroad to the district. There have been over $100,- 
000 obtained from the free ore raised from the mine which averaged 
$50 per ton by free milling, that is, saved on copper plates alone. 
The base ore at the lowest level is 5 to 6 feet in width and samples 
$50 gold and $5 silver per ton. 

THE MOHEGAN. 

The Mohegan, two miles from Eed Bluff village, is a fine claim 
and has been mined successfully for several years. Explorations 
have reached the depth of 110 feet and levels have been run each 
way on the vein at that depth, 300 feet, which have developed a 
large body of very rich ore. The Mohegan is a very peculiar 
ore, having but very little iron and no other base metal in sight, 
while at the same time very refractory. It is called by some 
mineralogists quartz cement, though let it be what it may, it has 
yielded some of the highest grade gold ore ever found in the 
county, while considerable of the ore shipped to Eastern works 
gave a yield of $600 and $1,000 to the ton. The entire vein 
samples $75 per ton. It is strictly a gold ledge, the bullion being 
very fine and having but a small per cent of silver. All the ore 
above water level has been mined out, the high grade shipped and 
the poorer grade, of which there are several hundred tons, now 
lies on the dumps waiting cheap transportation. It is a dry ore and 



28 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

THE PARNELL. 

The Parnell, or better known as the Old Bradley, mine is on the 
opposite slope from the Boaz. This is another of the early dis- 
coveries of the camp. It has been developed by a tunnel 430 feet 
in length, three shafts 60, 58, and 30 feet in depth, and a level 
from the lowest opening 60 feet long. In these several openings 
the vein shows to be 7, 6} and 8 feet in width; the width of 
vein in the face of the tunnel is full 20 feet, of which full seven- 
eighths is pay ore. The ore is magnetic oxide of iron, manganese 
and sulphide of copper. There is a wide range in the result of 
assays had from the ore, from $5 to $135 per ton having been ob- 
tained, mostly gold. There have been 500 tons of the ore worked 
by stamp mill with a result of $10 per ton, and 50,000 tons in sight 
in the mine is reported. 

THE BOSTON. 

The Boston, near by, has a tunnel 340 feet and a level 175 feet in 
length. This ground contains 3 veins of 2, 4, and 2 feet in width, 
with porphyry lead matter between. The ore is oxide and 
sulphide of iron and copper pyrites, assaying 12 per cent copper, 
$47 gold and 8 ounces silver to the ton. One hundred and fifty 
tons have been worked in the county which run $25 in a free mill. 

THE 0SB0RN. 

The Osborn is another gold ledge of the district. Though but 
little developed, it has a good showing. A 50-foot shaft has been 
sunk on the vein. The ore is porous, light quartz, assaying as 
high as $83 to the ton. There has been no ore shipped from 
the mine, the owners singing the same song heard from all the 
miners of the county, "expense of hauling is too great to leave 
a margin sufficient to warrant a man in digging out ore bodies he 
has been years in uncovering." 

RICHMOND FLAT, STERLING, HOT SPRINGS AND NORWEGIAN 
DISTRICTS. 

Quartz mining was inaugurated in these districts as early as in 
any other portion of Montana. The ore on the surface was free 
and in many of the ledges rich in gold. 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA.. 29 

THE PONY MINE. 

The Pony ledge near the village of Sterling, if intact to-day as it 
was in 1865, would create a furor in mining circles. There has 
never been but one ore body found on the vein, and this was in 
1865. This shoot was 5 feet wide and about 100 feet in length and 
"was at that early day worked down to a depth where water pre- 
vented further explorations. There is no ore in sight in the mine 
at present and very little work has been done to discover other 
ore bodies since the rich shoot was exhausted. The ore was sul- 
phide and oxide of iron, copper pyrites, antimony and arsenic, 
though base in every sense of the word, and contained $85 a ton in 
free gold, that was saved on copper plates by the old fashioned 
mill process. The shoot of ore mentioned produced $100,000 by 
such means. What is under water in the Pony remains for some 
fellow to find out. 

THE GALENA. 

The Galena ledge, galena though only in name, another of the 
^arly day gold mines of the county, has produced many ounces of 
gold, just how much no one can tell, as it has been worked by 
Tom, Dick and Harry, for the last quarter of a century. I have 
reliable information, however, of 800 tons having been milled, from 
which was obtained on copper plates $25,000. When worked 
the vein was 6 feet wide, well filled with sulphide of iron and cop- 
per pyrites, with a white quartz gangue. On the surface the ore 
was somewhat honey-combed by the decomposition of the iron. 
The ore assayed on an average $57 a ton gold and 3 ounces silver 
and milled $30. Two tons have been shipped as a test to a smelter 
which gave a return of $90 per ton. The ore that could be worked 
by free mill has been exhausted, but there are about 500 tons of base 
ore on the dumps that would leave a margin over transportation 
and working. 

THE GROWLER 

is located on Norwegian Gulch, on which a tunnel has been run 
48 feet showing a vein 12 feet wide of very base ore, about half 
the weight of which is iron. The ore assays from $9 to $57 per 
ton in gold. About 40 tons of the ore have been worked in an 
arastra yielding $300. 



30 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

THE TRADE DOLLAR 

near by, looks well, but sufficient work has not been done to make 
a reliable report. The owner says the vein is from 6 to 15 feet 
wide, filled with base refractory ore containing gold, silver, lead, 
iron, and copper, all chemically combined, and assaying from $13 to 
$45 gold and 6 to 63 ounces silver. 

THE ARCTIC, 

in Upper Hot Spring district, has a tunnel driven on the vein 50' 
feet, and three shafts, 40, 25, and 50 feet in depth, showing a vein 
2 feet wide of ore containing gold, silver, copper, lead and iron.. 
First class ore assays $200, second class $40. Seventy-five tons 
have been worked by arasta, yielding $3,000. This is a very 
promising property, developments considered. 

THE BLACK HAWK. 

The Black Hawk, near by, has been developed by a tunnel 100- 
feet in length, disclosing a vein 3 feet wide of very base ore, con- 
taining 20 per cent copper and 25 ounces of silver. No facilities 
for working the ore and too low grade to ship. 

THE CENTENNIAL. 

The Centennial has a tunnel 100 feet long and a shaft sunk 20> 
feet at the end of the same. Width of vein 3 feet, of iron and cop- 
per pyrites, carrying from $20 to $60 in gold ; there have been 50 ; 
tons of the ore worked by free mill, yielding $1,200. 

THE FLAT. 

The Fiat ledge in the same district has a tunnel 100 feet long,, 
which has developed a good looking vein 2 feet wide, of iron and 
lead ore which assays from $100 to $125 per ton. 

THE ARKANSAS. 

On Eichmond Flat the Arkansas, one of the most promising 
mines in the section, is a late discovery. The pay ore in the vein 
is quite high grade. A test shipment of 6 tons was made some 
time since and gave a yield of $237 per ton, mostly gold. The ore 
is base and must be shipped to a smelter for reduction, but this ex- 
pense of course the ore will bear, and the mine is being worked 
and the ore sacked for shipment. An experiment was made with 
16 tons of the same kind of ore as that shipped by working in a 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 31 

free gold mill which resulted in a yield of only $16 per ton, which 
has convinced the owners that the output of the mine must be 
shipped. 

THE BELLE OF DETROIT. 

The Belle of Detroit on the same flat, is one of the old timers, 
having been found in 1865, since which time it has been worked 
off and on in a desultory manner, and has yielded as a result of 
such work $20,000. The ore worked has averaged $20 per ton, 
though some runs have gone much higher. The assay value of 
the ore is from $40 to $100 per ton, almost equally divided between 
gold and silver. There is a tunnel 150 feet and two shafts, one 
170 feet, the other 80 feet in depth, on the vein. 

THE AMERICAN GIRL. 

The American Girl, another gold ledge on the hill, has quite a 
promising show of base ore. Fifty tons of the ore have been 
worked in the county by free mill from which a yield was had of 
$1,000. The ore assaying as it does $85 per ton, gold, this run 
satisfied the owners that free mill was not the correct way of 
working, and they are preparing to ship the output of the mine. 

THE IDAHO. 

9 The Idaho, near by, is another old timer, a shaft having been 
sunk on it to a depth of 190 feet in 1863. They were hunting for 
free ore in those days and failed to find it in the Idaho. There 
have been 75 tons of the ore worked which returned $3,000, mostly 
gold. The ore assays $68 per ton and the vein is 15 inches wide. 

THE PEERLESS. 

The Peerless, in the same district, is a promising prospect, but 
slightly developed. The vein is 3 feet wide containing 12 inches of 
base ore, assaying $45 per ton, mostly gold; 75 tons have been 
worked in the county yielding $16 per ton. 

THE REVENUE MINE. 

The Eevenue mine, owned and operated by a Boston company, 
is perhaps the best developed on the flat and is now being worked 
vigorously by the company. The output of the mine, which is 
quite large, though containing considerable base, is being worked 
through the company's mill, which is a stamp copperplate wet 
crusher, depending on a series of concentrators through which the 
pulp is run, after leaving the plates, to recover the base in the ore, 



32 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

which I suppose will be shipped to a smelter for reduction. There 
has been quite a large amount of development work done on the 
mine. Shaft No. 1, which is a double compartment, has been sunk 
250 feet, shaft No. 2, 80 feet, shaft No. 3, double compartment, 140 
feet, from which levels have been run as follows: No. 1, 480 feet; 
No. 2, 200 feet; No. 3, 100 feet. The vein in shaft No. 1 is 14 feet 
wide; in shaft No. 2, 12 feet wide, and in shaft No. 3, 7 feet wide, 
three-fourths of which in each case is pay ore. Considering the 
width of the vein the waste is slight. The ore is honey-comb 
quartz with spots of peroxide of iron. In much of the ore the 
iron has disappeared, only leaving the stain. There is so great 
a range in the grade of the ore coming from different portions 
of the vein that it is impossible to give an average value with- 
out a pulp sample, which I have been unable to obtain. Ore from 
the several faces in the openings assayed from $25 to $1,200 per 
ton. There have been 2,000 tons of the ore shipped to Eastern 
works, 1,000 tons worked by the company's mill on the ground, 
2,000 tons are at present in the ore houses that would pay to 
ship East, and 1,000 tons on the dumps that are being worked 
through the company mill, both classes of which are being replen- 
ished by the output of the mine. What the yield has been from 
any of the ore I have been unable to ascertain. It is estimated by 
experienced mining men that there are 100,000 tons of ore in 
sight in the mine. * 

WASHINGTON BAR. 

Washington Bar district has been mined for placer gold for 
many years and has produced a half million of dollars. This en- 
tire placer property, which has the most extensive hydraulic gravel 
mines in the territory, without question, has lately gone into the 
hands of the Montana Hydraulic Mining Co., a company with 
ample means to properly develope the immense gravel banks 
and work them to their full capacity with proper machinery. It 
is generally believed they will uncover some of the richest gravel 
deposits ever found in the west. The company have patents for 
7 miles of gulches with gravel bars on either side, 1,500 acres of 
mineral land, besides some 3,000 acres which they hold by pur- 
chase. They have a never failing water supply in volume not less 
than 3,000 inches, and the gravel prospects 50 cents to the square 
yard. It has been estimated by experts that the land belonging 
to this company contains $50,000,000 of placer gold. They are 
now engaged in laying a four-foot flume into one mine and a 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 33 

thirty-inch flume into another and propose to have three giants in 
operation in a few weeks. This is the first attempt made by capital 
to take hold of and work on a large scale the heavy auriferous 
gravel deposits of the county. Heretofore the mines have been 
worked on a small scale, and it is thought the success of this en- 
terprise, of which every one is sanguine, will give a new impetus 
to that class of mining in the county. The quartz mines of the 
district, located at the head of the gulches referred to, have only 
attracted attention the last two or three years. 



THE CLIMAX, GOLDEN FLEECE AND BONANZA CHIEF. 

The ledge which seems to be most thought of by the miners of 
the camp and in which most confidence is placed, is located on 
North Baldy, covers three full claims of 1,500 feet each, and is 
known as the Golden Fleece, Climax and Bonanza Chief. The 
ledge is in granite, runs with the formation, as all gold leads 
should, and contains some of the richest gold rock I have ever 
prospected. It is beyond question the main ledge of the mountain 
and can be traced the entire distance of 4,500 feet. The only 
drawback to this mine is its inaccessible locality. It is near tim- 
ber line as well as perpetual snow, and will cost considerable to 
reach with a wagon road. There has been a tunnel run in on the 
Climax vein 150 feet, the entire distance showing up a fine vein 5 
feet wide, containing 3£ feet of very rich ore, composed of white 
quartz spotted with oxide of iron and a little galena, considerable 
honey-comb rock appearing here and there in the vein. The ore 
assays $100 gold, 14 ounces silver, and 10 per cent lead and 20 per 
cent iron. The Golden Fleece, on the same ledge and adjoining 
the Climax, has about the same characteristics. A fifty-foot tun- 
nel has been driven on this mine, disclosing a strong, uniform, well 
defined vein 8 feet in width with 6 feet of pay ore, assaying $115 
per ton gold, 17 ounces silver, 10 per cent lead and 25 per cent iron. 
Adjoining and on the same ledge is the Bonanza Chief, which has 
also the same character of the two former and on which a tunnel 
has been run 30 feet, showing up a 6 foot vein with 4 feet of pay 
ore that assays $100 gold, 12 ounces silver, 10 per cent lead, and 
20 per cent iron. The three claims belong to the same owners and 
they estimate that they have 2,500 tons of ore on the dumps that 
will pay to ship were there a railroad near by. «They also report 
20,000 tons of ore in sight. 
3 



32 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

which I suppose will be shipped to a smelter for reduction. There 
has been quite a large amount of development work done on the 
mine. Shaft No. 1, which is a double compartment, has been sunk 
250 feet, shaft No. 2, 80 feet, shaft No. 3, double compartment, 140 
feet, from which levels have been run as follows: No. 1, 480 feet; 
No. 2, 200 feet; No. 3, 100 feet. The vein in shaft No. 1 is 14 feet 
wide; in shaft No. 2, 12 feet wide, and in shaft No. 3, 7 feet wide, 
three-fourths of which in each case is pay ore. Considering the 
width of the vein the waste is slight. The ore is honey-comb 
quartz with spots of peroxide of iron. In much of the ore the 
iron has disappeared, only leaving the stain. There is so great 
a range in the grade of the ore coming from different portions 
of the vein that it is impossible to give an average value with- 
out a pulp sample, which I have been unable to obtain. Ore from 
the several faces in the openings assayed from $25 to $1,200 per 
ton. There have been 2,000 tons of the ore shipped to Eastern 
works, 1,000 tons worked by the company's mill on the ground, 
2,000 tons are at present in the ore houses that would pay to 
ship East, and 1,000 tons on the dumps that are being worked 
through the company mill, both classes of which are being replen- 
ished by the output of the mine. What the yield has been from 
any of the ore I have been unable to ascertain. It is estimated by 
experienced mining men that there are 100,000 tons of ore in 
sight in the mine. • 

WASHINGTON BAR. 

Washington Bar district has been mined for placer gold for 
many years and has produced a half million of dollars. This en- 
tire placer property, which has the most extensive hydraulic gravel 
mines in the territory, without question, has lately gone into the 
hands of the Montana Hydraulic Mining Co., a company with 
ample means to properly develope the immense gravel banks 
and work them to their full capacity with proper machinery. It 
is generally believed they will uncover some of the richest gravel 
deposits ever found in the west. The company have patents for 
7 miles of gulches with gravel bars on either side, 1,500 acres of 
mineral land, besides some 3,000 acres which they hold by pur- 
chase. They have a never failing water supply in volume not less 
than 3,000 inches, and the gravel prospects 50 cents to the square 
yard. It has been estimated by experts that the land belonging 
to this company contains $50,000,000 of placer gold. They are 
now engaged in laying a four-foot flume into one mine and a 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 33 

thirty-inch flume into another and propose to have three giants in 
operation in a few weeks. This is the first attempt made by capital 
to take hold of and work on a large scale the heavy auriferous 
gravel deposits of the county. Heretofore the mines have been 
worked on a small scale, and it is thought the success of this en- 
terprise, of which every one is sanguine, will give a new impetus 
to that class of mining in the county. The quartz mines of the 
district, located at the head of the gulches referred to, have only 
attracted attention the last two or three years. 



THE CLIMAX, GOLDEN FLEECE AND BONANZA CHIEF. 

The ledge which seems to be most thought of by the miners of 
the camp and in which most confidence is placed, is located on 
North Baldy, covers three full claims of 1,500 feet each, and is 
known as the Golden Fleece, Climax and Bonanza Chief. The 
ledge is in granite, runs with the formation, as all gold leads 
should, and contains some of the richest gold rock I have ever 
prospected. It is beyond question the main ledge of the mountain 
and can be traced the entire distance of 4,500 feet. The only 
drawback to this mine is its inaccessible locality. It is near tim- 
ber line as well as perpetual snow, and will cost considerable to 
reach with a wagon road. There has been a tunnel run in on the 
•Climax vein 150 feet, the entire distance showing up a fine vein 5 
feet wide, containing 3? feet of very rich ore, composed of white 
quartz spotted with oxide of iron and a little galena, considerable 
honey-comb rock appearing here and there in the vein. The ore 
assays $100 gold, 14 ounces silver, and 10 per cent lead and 20 per 
cent iron. The Golden Fleece, on the same ledge and adjoining 
the Climax, has about the same characteristics. A fifty-foot tun- 
nel has been driven on this mine, disclosing a strong, uniform, well 
defined vein 8 feet in width with 6 feet of pay ore, assaying $115 
per ton gold, 17 ounces silver, 10 per cent lead and 25 per cent iron. 
Adjoining and on the same ledge is the Bonanza Chief, which has 
also the same character of the two former and on which a tunnel 
has been run 30 feet, showing up a 6 foot vein with 4 feet of pay 
ore that assays $100 gold, 12 ounces silver, 10 per cent lead, and 
20 per cent iron. The three claims belong to the same owners and 
they estimate that they have 2,500 tons of ore on the dumps that 
will pay to ship were there a railroad near by. 'They also report 
20,000 tons of ore in sight. 
3 



34 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES. 

THE LITTLE KID. 

The Little Kid is a promising mine north of the Climax. Con- 
siderable work has been done on this mine. Thirty tons of the 
ore have been shipped to Wickes smelter, which give a return of 
$108 per ton. Twenty-three tons worked on the ground by arastra, 
gave a yield of $25 per ton. There has been a tunnel run a dis- 
tance of 105 feet cutting the vein at 75 feet, from thence following 
the same. From the end of the tunnel and incline a shaft has 
been sunk 50 feet on the vein and a level 40 feet in length has been 
run from the shaft. A second tunnel 4,0 feet in length has also 
been run. The vein runs from 6 to 12 feet wide in the several 
openings, and it is claimed to be all pay ore between the walls. 
The ore is pyrites and mono-oxide of iron that will concentrate to 
good advantage. The assay value of the ore sampled from full 
width of the mine is $33 gold and 2 ounces silver. The ore shipped 
was packed out a distance of 5 miles on horse back, over a very 
rough trail. The gross yield of the mine has been $4,250. Most 
of the ore mined still lies on the dump. The Chilro has a shaft 75 
feet in depth, and one 50 feet in depth, showing a vein 4 feet wide 
all in ore, composed of hard white quartz, containing $12 in free 
gold. 

THE CHANCE AND LAKEVIEW. 

On South Baldy there are quite a number of promising ledges 
and notably so the Chance. This ledge has been developed very 
little, principally on account of its being so inaccessible. It is some 
distance above timber line and a portion of the ledge is covered 
with immense banks of perpetual snow. Were it at a lower alti- 
tude, I think it would have long ago been one of the most noted 
mines of Montana. The vein is horizontal and seems to cut the 
mountain like slicing off the top of a pine-apple cheese. The vein 
lies with the formation. The ore is white flinty quartz, some of it 
porous, with iron stain, and is the nearest a free gold mine that I 
know of in the district. The ore assays $62 gold and 2 ounces 
silver to the ton. There is a tunnel in on the vein 40 feet, which 
is still in frozen ground and it is thought by some that the moun- 
tain at, above, and some distance below the line of the lead, is frozen 
through, which, from the fact of the frost being 40 feet deep as 
known, would lead one to believe the theory correct. We all know 
it can not, even at a lower altitude, thaw down 40 feet, and ergo, if 
it is not thawing at tbat depth, being surrounded with frost, it 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 35 

must be freezing deeper. Therefore I report this mountain frozen 
through, without fear of proof to the contrary being produced this 
summer. 

Adjoining the Chance and on the same vein is the Lakeview, 
which is similar to it in all respects. One hundred feet of open 
cuts and tunnels have been run in on the vein, which is flat. The 
pay ore is 18 inches wide of white quartz, stained some with iron, 
and also containing a little carbonate and galena, though it is a 
free gold ore and assays $40 gold and 2 ounces silver. 

THE GRAND CENTRAL. 

Several miles down the mountain and in a much more conge- 
nial clime is the Grand Central ledge, which is a good one if there 
is any in the county. A tunnel has been driven in along the vein 
225 feet, showing a strong, well defined, true fissure vein and it is 
one of the best prospects for a big mine that I have visited. The 
vein is large and well filled with a good grade of concentrating 
ore, that can be reduced by such means to about 20 per cent and 
still retain all the valuable metals. The ore is white quartz and 
red iron and assays from $20 to $800 per ton. Of course the high 
assay was from selected ore. Some of the ore has been worked 
by arastra on the ground, but proved unsatisfactory as it is too re- 
fractory to work by such means. The owners are therefore piling 
up the ore on their dumps awaiting rail facilities. 

THE PUZZLER. 

The Puzzler, two claims on the same ledge, located on Washing- 
ton Gulch, have each been sunk on to a depth of 100 feet and show 
good bddies of free milling ore, assaying $50 gold and $80 
silver. 

THE LAKE. 

The Lake, on South Baldy, is a first rate prospect for a good mine, 
and it is unfortunate that it can not be further developed. The 
owner, though, is so situated financially that he can not spend money 
to develope unless he could dispose of the output to advantage, 
which is impossible under the existing state of affairs. The vein 
is good width of $25 ore, 75 per cent of which is gold. 

THE ROUGH AND READY. 

The Rough and Ready on North Meadow creek has been worked 
as a free gold mine, the output having been reduced by arastras for 
the past 20 years. There is an 80 foot tunnel, one shaft 200 feet 



36 * MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

deep and one 40 feet deep on the vein. Levels have been driven 
•on the vein 75, 80, and 60 feet in length. The output of the mine 
has been considerable. The vein is 3 feet wide and the ore assays 
from $75 to $100 per ton in gold. Of late there have been 120 
tons of ore worked, averaging $57 per ton. Owners report 50 
tons on the dump that will go $100 per ton and 75 tons that will 
: go $50. 

The great drawback to the Washington Bar section is this; all 
the mines are owned by poor men unable to erect proper machinery 
to reduce the ores. A first class stamp mill with necessary gold 
saving adjuncts, is all that is needed to make it a lively camp. A 
smelter with rail facilities of course would be better, but for the 
present a mill would answer the purpose. 

POTOSI DISTRICT. 

Potosi district is situated at the head of Willow creek on the 
east slope of the Tobacco Eoot range. It is essentially a dry ore 
camp, though galena and copper appear in some of the veins. 
There are some very large strong low grade veins as also several 
very high grade small veins. It is decidedly a silver camp and 
there is but a small per cent of gold in any of the veins. The 
general character of the ore is base but most of the product can 
be handled by a chloridizing mill to advantage. 

THE BULLION. 

The Bullion has had considerable development work done upon 
it, the vein is a strong one though the pay ore as yet is narrow, 
varying from 6 inches to swells of 3 feet. Several shipments to 
Wickes and Omaha smelters have been made yielding on an aver- 
age 119 ounces of silver per ton. The ore was packed out on 
horses for a distance of 10 miles, there being no wagon road to the 
camp. The character of the ore is black sulphurets and zinc with 
a quartz gangue. 

THE CROWN POINT. 

The Crown Point has been developed to some extent; the ore is 
gray copper and zinc. It has a 7 foot vein well filled with ore that 
samples 58 ounces in silver, not rich enough to pack out and haul 
by team, though with a railroad near Pony district, a good wagon 
road would immediately be constructed into the camp and Crown 
Point would rival its Nevada namesake. It is a well defined, 
strong mine, that can be traced a long distance. 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 37 

THE ST. LOUIS. 

The St. Louis it is claimed is a wet ore mine, containing enougli 
galena to smelt its product. But little developments have been 
made, though it promises to show up a good silver-lead property. 

THE DICTATOR. 

The Dictator is a tremendous ledge of low grade silver-lead ore. 
It samples low in both silver and lead but is one of the best con- 
centrating propositions I have examined and can be jigged from 8 
to 10 tons into one without losing any metal of consequence, mak- 
ing a product worth from $80 to $100 per ton. The vein is full 
50 feet in width of a uniform class of ore. It is unnecessary to 
say anything further of the Dictator; the above facts determine 
it to be a mine in the full meaning of the term. 

THE GREEN JACKET. 

The Green Jacket is one of the best showings for a big property 
in the district. The vein is eight feet wide, producing a very reg- 
ular grade of silver-lead carbonates and gray copper ore with 
quartz gangue. The owners intend to thoroughly develop and ex- 
plore this property without delay. It can be put in shape to be 
one of the greatest producers in the county. 

THE KEYSTONE. 

The Keystone has been worked to quite an extent, the output 
is gray copper, antimonial silver with a white quartz gangue. 
There are 100 tons of ore on the dump. The vein is large, strong 
and well defined. 

THE VOLUNTEER GROUP. 

The Volunteer Group in the same district consists of 12 full 
claims of 1,500 feet each, on all of which more or less development 
work has been done. The deepest shaft is 87 feet and the longest 
tunnel is 50 feet. It is a silver property, the ore being antimonial 
silver with a decomposed or soft quartz and porphyry gangue. 
One of the veins is 40 feet wide while another is 60 feet, while still 
another shows ore for a width of 180 feet. Of course when the 
veins are so wide they are necessarily of low grade, but as it will 
jig well, desirable concentrates can be made from either of these 
large mines. The whole group have excellent possibilities, though 
as the owners are poor men it can be seen at a glance that they 
have no business attempting to develop a mine that will take a 
cross-cut of 180 feet to prospect. 



38 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 



THE EDISON. 



On the Edison lode in the same district the owners are running 
a tunnel to tap the mine which they expect to cut 180 feet from 
the surface. They have 40 feet more to run. On the surface the 
vein is 3 feet wide well filled with 60 ounce silver ore of a carbon- 
ate and antimonial character with a quartz and porphyry gangue. 
It is asserted by the mine owners of Potosi district, that they 
could and would mine 1,000 tons of ore a day that could be re- 
duced by jigging on the ground to 300 tons, producing a product 
worth $150 per ton, if there was a railroad on Upper Willow Creek 
valley by which they could ship to a smelter. 

IKON ROD AND SILVER STAR DISTRICTS. 

These districts are situated west of the Jefferson river in the 
Bed Mountain range in Madison county. The Iron Eod mine has 
been worked almost continually since its discovery in 1866 and 
the explorations have now attained a depth of 600 feet. The ore 
of the upper levels has all been stoped out and the 600 foot level 
is now supplying the output. Just how much ore and gold the 
Iron Rod has produced in the past 22 years I have been unable to 
ascertain as it has been worked by several different companies, but 
from all I can gather I am confident it has not been less than a 
quarter of a million of dollars. It has been one of the most steadily 
paying properties in the county. The ore heretofore has been 
worked in the company's mill near the mine, though the fact has 
been known for years that they were not saving more than 60 per 
cent of the value of the ore, therefore at present, the best class of ore 
that is being taken out is shipped to Butte by wagon teams. Butte 
being a distance of 50 miles from the mine is proof positive that 
the Iron Rod is producing a high grade of ore. The vein is not 
large though uniformly filled with ore of an iron character and 
quartz gangue. 

THE GREEN CAMPBELL. 

The Green Campbell, situated in the Silver Star district, is a 
very wide, low grade, free gold ledge, in a contact of lime and 
porphyry. This mine in early days produced a large amount of 
quartz from which came not less than $1,000,000 in gold. It is 
said that there are chambers worked out in the Campbell that a 
six-horse team and wagon could be easily turned round in. The 
ledge is the property of a Buffalo company who have allowed it to 
lie idle for several years. 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 39 

. THE BROADWAY. 

The Broadway is another contact vein, low grade but immense 
in width. For years and until the property fell into the hands 
of a London company the Broadway was one of the largest pro- 
ducers in Montana, and prior to which time the owners had re- 
ceived $300,000 from the output of the mine. The ore is a soft or 
decomposed quartz, mixed some with porphyry, easily mined and 
crushed and containing from $10 to $14 per ton in free gold, readily 
saved in a wet crushing mill on copper plates. The expense, 
therefore, was light for mining and crushing. I am informed how- 
ever that all the large bodies of free ore from both the Broadway 
and Campbell have been mined out. Whether greater depth and 
further explorations would disclose more such ore bodies, can not 
be discovered without a large expenditure of money. 

Taking it from the inception of quartz mining in Madison 
county, Silver Star has produced as much if not more, quartz gold 
than any other camp in the county. Most of the ore in the 
district is a dry ore, with very little other, save the metal royal in 
the quartz, therefore it is neither a concentrating or smelting 
camp ; but there are many low grade large veins as also many 
high grade small veins in the district that will pay to work, and 
will be worked and give employment to hundreds of men so soon 
as a railroad shall have "waked us up." I have myself seen a 
large washbowl full of gold the result of a week's run of ten 
stamps on ore from this district. I also know of $12,000 having 
been pounded out out from quartz of a ledge of the district, with 
a hand mortar, all of which convinces me that Silver Star is not 
extinguished but only under a cloud. 

VIRGINIA CITY AND VICINITY. 

Madison county is one of the largest gold producing counties in 
the teritory. Most of the product has heretofore come from the 
placers, though the gold-bearing quartz mines with present de- 
velopments promise in the near future to outstrip the placers. 
The gold product for 1887 was larger than it had been for many 
years previous. The United States assay office, at Helena, in 
reporting the gold product of Montana to the director of the 
United States mint, places the gold product of the county of 
Madison for the year 1887 at $1,500,000, the largest part of which 
came from the famed Alder Gulch and vicinity of Virginia City. 
From a careful estimate, after securing all the information pertinent 



40 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

thereto, I conclude, that Alder Gulch has, produced since its dis- 
covery in 1863, $100,000,000 in gold. This with the fact that it is 
still producing $1,500,000 a year is conclusive evidence that the 
quartz veins which rib the mountains on either side of the gulch 
from head to mouth, must contain vast stores of quartz gold. 
There are 12 large mining flumes being operated in the gulch, be- 
sides many smaller works employing several hundred men, mostly 
white, Chinamen only working in the lower or less rich portion of 
the gulch. In connection therewith I can report, without fear of 
contradiction, that every man in the gulch that is mining is 
making money. 

THE PROSPECT QUARTZ MINE. 

The Prospect Mine, lying in the west mountain from Alder 
Gulch and one mile from Virginia City, has been explored and 
developed to a greater extent than any vein in the vicinity. At 
the base of the mountain there has been a tunnel driven along the 
vein for a distance of 400 feet, with a free showing of ore both 
overhead and underfoot. About 500 feet from the base of the hill 
there is a second tunnel driven 450 feet along the vein, uncovering 
good ore the entire distance. Still 400 feet above a third tunnel has 
been run with the vein a distance of 300 feet, and, as in the others de- 
veloped the same uniform grade and character of ore. Some very 
rich ore has been taken out of the tunnels, which was shipped to 
Dillon by wagon, a distance of 50 miles, thence by rail to Omaha, 
Butte or Denver, several of the shipments going as high as $300 
per ton. This ore, however, was assorted out of many hundred 
tons of low grade ore and the chief value of the mine lies in the 
large quantities of low grade ore that it will produce, and that will 
not bear the present cost of shipping. The mine was operated 
under a lease by the New York and Montana Company for a few 
months during the summer of 1887, and I am informed that they 
extracted from the mine 800 tons of ore that produced $20,000, the 
ore having been worked in the company's dry crushing mill in the 
vicinity. I can also report that there are large bodies of just such 
ore as that crushed, still uncovered in the mine, and that it was 
not for a lack of ore that the lease terminated, but from the fact 
that the owners of the mine did not desire to continue the same. 

THE ALMEDA. 

The Almeda, situated a short distance from the Prospect, has 
been worked successfully for several years by the New York & 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 4l! 

Montana Company, the output going to their mill for reduction, 
which is a chloridizing dry crusher. I have been unable to learn 
the yield of the mine or value of the ore, as it is the policy of the 
company to keep its business to itself; however when the mill is 
in operation, two bars of silver bullion weighing from 70 to 80 
pounds, are shipped each week and as the bars have a decided 
gold cast it is supposed they are worth not less than $3 to $5 per 
ounce. There is a shaft on the mine 400 feet deep which is now 
being extended to the 600 foot level, it being the purpose, I under- 
stand, to cross-cut to the vein when that depth is reached. The 
vein above the 300 foot level has been stoped out. The mine is not 
a wide one, but is strong and permanent. The ore is of good 
grade, I am told never yielding less than $100 per ton. 

THE SILVER BELL. 

The Silver Bell mine, just over the mountain, is one of the most 
promising mines in the county. As the name indicates it is a sil- 
ver property. The vein is from 20 to 80 inches in width, well 
filled with a uniform grade of ore, which is of the dry character, 
containing antimonial silver, black sulphurets, sulphide and ox- 
ide of iron, a little copper pyrites, with a quartz gangue. There 
have been 300 tons of the ore worked at the New York & Montana 
Co.'s mill, which yield 130.55 per ton. The gross yield of the 
mine has been over $9,000. There are 400 tons of ore on the dump, 
assaying from $30 to $100 per ton, which will pay well to work on 
the ground with suitable machinery, or to ship with proper trans- 
portation. The vein is being further developed at the present 
time with a force of men. There are 700 feet of tunnels on the 
mine, from which have been sunk one shaft 80 feet deep and an- 
other 40 feet deep. The ore works readily by the chloridizing 
process, but the price asked ($24 per ton) by the mills near by for 
reduction is thought to be unreasonable by the owner of the mine, 
and he is therefore storing the output at the mine, waiting for 
something to turn up. 

THE U. S. GRANT. 

The U. S. Grant mine, one mile above Virginia City, on the west 
mountain from Alder Gulch, has a tunnel 400 feet in along the 
vein, at the end of which a shaft has been sunk 150 feet. A sec- 
ond tunnel has been driven along the vein 90 feet, throughout 
which openings the vein shows to be strong and well defined, from 
4 to 8 feet in width, averaging 3 feet of pay ore, which samples 



42 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

from $34 to $50 per ton, and there is a large amount of such ore 
in the mine (estimated by experts at 25,000 tons). The ore con- 
tains gold and silver in proportion of two of the latter to one of 
the former. The gold is free and some fine specimens have been 
obtained from the mine. The silver is found in the native, in the 
chloride, black sulphuret, and ruby forms. The ore also contains 
iron, both sulphide and oxide. The gangue is jasper and white 
quartz. There have been two shipments of assorted ore made from 
the mine to the smelter at Omaha; one went $230 and the other 
$160 per ton. One run of ore from the mine was made by the 
New York & Montana Co.'s mill, which yielded $82 per ton. There 
are 400 tons of such ore on the dump. The mine is conditioned to 
produce 20 to 30 tons of such ore a day and is now being worked. 

THE EL-FELEDA. 

The El-Feleda ledge is a silver-gold mine higher up on the 
mountain. A tunnel 250 feet in length has been driven along the 
vein ; openings have also been made at different intervals along 
the entire length of the claim of 1,500 feet, showing a remarkably 
well defined fissure vein from 6 to 15 inches in width of pay ore, 
which samples $36 in gold and $63 in silver. The ore contains 
free gold, chloride of silver and black sulphurets and a small per 
cent of carbonates, and is well suited for a chloridizing mill. There 
have been 25 tons of the ore shipped to Salt Lake for treatment, 
which netted $60 per ton, and 20 tons of selected ore have been 
reduced in the vicinity, which yielded $120 per ton. The owner 
writes, "To develop and improve the mine has been my object in 
the past, without regard to immediate profit." 

THE I. X. L. LODE. 

In the same vicinity is the I. X. L. lode, one of the early day 
mines of the camp, which has produced some very fine specimens 
of free gold ore. Shaft No. 1 on the vein has been sunk 30 feet, in 
which the ore is 5 feet wide, sampling $18 per ton. Shaft No. 2, 90 
feet deep, width of vein 3 feet, from which assays have been ob- 
tained of 100 ounces silver and $30 of gold to the ton. Shaft No. 
3 is 45 feet deep, vein 4 feet wide, which samples 60 ounces silver 
and $8 gold to the ton. A tunnel is now being driven into the 
mountain for the purpose of cutting the vein at a depth of 300 feet 
which has reached a distance from the mouth of 450 feet; there 
are 150 feet yet to run. 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 43 



THE BLACK LEDGE. 



Brown's Gulch, which puts into Alder a mile below Virginia 
City has a great number of very promising silver mines in the 
mountains on either side, from head to mouth. Among others, 
the Black Ledge is one of the strongest and largest mines in the 
county, and has been well developed by tunnels and shafts. The 
ore is blue, black and gray sulphurets of iron, with a silicious 
gangue. It can be reduced by concentration about 80 per cent, 
making a product worth about $80 to $100 per ton. 

THE UTAH NORTHERN AND SPRATT. 

The Utah Northern, Spratt, Black Eagle, and many other mines 
in the vicinity, have been well developed and all contain large 
bodies of ore of the same general character as the Black. The ore, 
however, is refractory, not very high grade and therefore can not 
be worked profitably without railroads or smelters in the vicinity; 
though they are just that class of mines on which a railroad could 
largely depend for tonnage, and it is only a question of cheap 
transportation, to change the dormant condition of these mines to 
that of dividend paying properties. The owners of these mines 
propose to guarantee 50 tons of concentrates per day for shipment, 
with a railroad at any point along Alder Gulch. 

THE JESSE MORGAN MINE. 

The Jesse Morgan, also on Brown's Gulch, is being developed by 
a Minnesota company with very encouraging results. That the 
mine is a good one there is no longer a question of doubt. Tun- 
nels have been run along the course of the vein a distance of 250 
feet in length, entering the mountain 1,100 feet below the apex. 
Numerous cross-cuts and levels have been driven, from 65 to 150 
feet in length, the vein in every opening showing to be a strong- 
one, well defined, in solid granite walls. The ore is not the same 
in all of the openings ; at some points it is sulphides, at others it is 
chlorides. Assays have been obtained of $25 gold and 82 ounces 
silver to the ton; An average lot of ore was worked in the New 
York & Montana Co.'s mill for a test, that went $40 per ton. 
There is quite a large amount of ore on the dumps. The superin- 
tendent writes, " It is the wish of the company to erect a plant for 
the reduction of the ores, but much will depend on the facilities of 
transportation." 



44 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

THE SUNRISE LODE. 

The Sunrise Lode, in the same section, is galena and carbonates- 
in a white quartz gangue, carrying 60 ounces of silver. One shaft 
100 feet deep has been sunk on the vein, showing 5 feet of ore. 
Another shaft is 60 feet deep with a 3 foot vein, and still another 
60 feet in depth, with a 6 foot vein. There have been 60 tons of 
the ore worked at Salt Lake, and there are 1,000 tons of the ore on 
the dumps ready for shipment. 

THE GOLDEN GATE. 

The Golden Gate mine is near by, on which a tunnel has been 
run cutting the vein at a depth of 75 feet, at which point the pay 
ore is 5 feet wide, assaying $30 gold and 20 ounces silver. In this 
as in the Sunrise the general character of the ore is galena and 
carbonate. 

THE HIGHLAND CHIEF AND MOUNTAIN FLOWER. 

The Highland Chief and Mountain Flower, two full claims on 
the same vein, have 127 feet of tunnels. The vein is a strong one, 
crops for a long distance, and is five feet wide. The ore is white 
quartz containing free gold, spotted with antimonial silver and iron, 
and assays, irregularly, all the way from $14 to $530 per ton. The 
irregularity is caused by the spots of mineral in the rock. 
Thirty tons of the ore have been shipped east, which netted to the 
owner $46.50 per ton. Twenty tons of the ore have been worked 
by free mill in the county, giving $11 gold per ton. There are 500 
tons of ore on the dumps. The output of the mine could be in- 
creased to 50 tons per day, were there cheap transportation at 
hand. It is considered one of the most promising properties in 
the neighborhood. 

THE BELL MINE. 

The Bell mine, in Linder mountain, two miles above Virginia 
City, has a tunnel driven into the mountain along the course of 
the vein, for a distance of 800 feet. Several cross-cuts have been 
made at different distances from the mouth of the tunnel and the 
vein is found to have an average width of 25 feet, filled with a 
uniform grade of ore; the grade however is low, but its good 
width makes it a valuable property and one that would add no in- 
considerable amount to the tonnage of a railroad. The ore body 
developed is 800 feet in length, 25 feet in width and 300 feet in 
depth. A test run of the ore in a free gold mill went $8 per ton. 
The ore assaj^s from $15 to $20 per ton. 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 45 



THE COOK AND PRASCH MINE. 



This mine, located on Williams Gulch, near Virginia City, is 
being worked, under a lease, by the New York & Montana Com- 
pany. The ore is being reduced in the company's chloridizing 
mill at this place. No great depth has as yet been attained on the 
vein, but judging from surface indications and the amount of ore 
now being delivered at the mill from the mine, convinces me that 
it will be a great producer, when sufficiently opened, to- give 
places for men. The ore is a combination of carbonate, galena 
iind iron, containing from 30 to 40 ounces of silver to the ton. 
The ore contains rather too much lead to work in a roaster, but 
will jig advantageously, and make a very high grade of concen- 
trates. 

SUMMIT DISTRICT. 

This district is at the head of Alder Gulch, eight miles above Vir- 
ginia City. It is generally conceded that a large part of the many 
millions of gold taken from the gulch came from leads in this dis- 
trict. Chief among them is the Oro Cache, which has not only 
helped feed the gulch, but has produced from surface quartz $1,- 
500,000 in gold. Years ago when the vein was uncovered in the 
several openings, it showed to be an exceedingly strong one, but 
was stoped and gouged out down to the barren zone, a point be- 
lieved to exist in all gold mines; and which point once passed, as 
the top ore was valuable, so comparatively rich ore will in almost 
every instance be found below such barren zone. To the present 
time Madison county has been so unfortunate as to be without 
citizens enterprising enough to sink below the barren zone, which 
has been found in the free gold mines at the head of the gulch. 
That some one will come, with capital and nerve sufficient to pene- 
trate beneath this zone is the prayer of the quartz miners of the 
camp. For such an one every miner in the gulch believes there is 
in store down in the depths of the veins, at the head of the gulch, 
gold in quantities, to which that taken out of the gulch is compar- 
atively a mere pittance. Call this a Utopian dream if you will, but 
the evidence to lead the miners to believe as they do, can not be 
termed visionary. The gulch was pregnant with gold unquestion- 
ably coming from the leads, getting coarser and more plentiful as 
the gulch was ascended; all the hills and bars and sags around 
the veins contained much gold. The ledges themselves are among 
the strongest, largest and best denned in Montana and have pro- 



46 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

duced millions of dollars in free gold, from the surface down to 
the barren zone, and when that point was reached, still showing 
to be as strong, well filled and defined, though not containing the 
free gold found higher up in the veins. In Colorado nothing was 
thought of going through 200 or 300 feet of a cap, containing nil, 
while never has there been a hole sunk 25 feet in the barren zone 
of a lead at the summit of Alder Gulch. The ledges of Summit 
are gold bearing and very little silver is found in the ore. 



THE J. T. C. MINE. 

The J. T. C. and Randolph are two full claims on the same vein. 
During the past winter two tunnels have been driven into the 
mountain, a distance of 285 feet each, at right angles with the vein, 
cutting the same at a' depth of 150 feet. This ledge has been 
traced by surface croppings and shafts a distance of three miles, 
and shows to be a mammoth mine of low grade ore. In many 
openings the vein is 50 feet wide, and while the ore is low grade, 
for the entire width it is of a uniform value. At the points where 
the tunnels cut the vein it is 25 feet wide, filled with ore of the 
general character found at that depth in the district, viz., sulphur- 
ets of iron and soft quartz gangue, which can be reduced from six 
tons into one by concentration, making a product of almost pure 
iron, that by actual test is known to contain $65 in gold. With the 
facilities for transporting at hand, this is too low grade to work 
profitably. The owners, however, have informed me that they 
will enter into contract to furnish 25 tons per day of concentrates 
for shipment to a railroad building to any point in Alder Gulch. 
This would require an output from the mine of only 150 tons per 
day, while 500 tons could be easily produced from the openings on 
the mine. As I have said it is a low grade mine and the question 
will naturally occur, will the mine pay, even with a railroad. To 
settle such matter I will make an estimate of the cost of mining, 
transportation and working, and the value of the ore when mined. 
I wish to say as to the value of the ore and its adaptability for 
concentration, the facts have been obtained by actual test and are 
absolutely correct. This estimate can also as well be applied to 
other large low grade mines reported upon herein. 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 47 

Cost of mining six tons of ore from 25-foot vein $12 00 

Concentrating six tons of ore, at the mine 6 00 

Hauling one ton of concentrates to railroad 1 50 

Eailroad transportation on one ton of concentrates 12 00 

Keducing one ton of concentrates at smelter 14 00 

Total expense $45 50 

Gold contained in one ton of concentrates 65 00 

Balance profit to mine owner $19 50 



Say the mine produces 25 tons of concentrates per day (the 
amount the owners propose to bind themselves to furnish a rail- 
road); this would leave a daily profit of 25 tons at $19.50 per ton, 
or $487.50, which amount would be profit with a railroad near by, 
and which amount would be absorbed in wagon transportation 
were the concentrates shipped under the present condition of 
things. 

THE APEX AND MINSTREL. 

The Apex and Minstrel are on the same ledge as the J. T. C. 
and Eandolph and are of the same general character. These 
claims show in many places a vein 50 feet wide. Considerable sur- 
face work has been done on both mines and one tunnel has been 
run a distance of 150 feet. The surface rock is free gold of low 
grade, that changes into base as depth is attained. I feel confi- 
dent that these mines will prove to be excellent concentrating 
properties, equal in every respect to the other mines on the ledge. 
There are about 600 tons of ore on the dumps and 15,000 tons 
above the lowest openings. A small test run of 9 tons of ore has 
been run in a free gold mill which resulted in $10 per ton. These 
mines are just such as could be made to furnish tonnage for a rail- 
road. This fact I wish to impress upon you that while they are 
not rich, they contain sufficient gold to profitably concentrate and 
ship, and are capable of furnishing enormous quantities of ore at 
small cost of mining. 

THE KEARSAGE. 

The Kearsage, which is thought to be by some, a spur from the 
above ledge and by others to be on the same vein, in early days 
was one of the most noted mines of the territory. Like the Oro 
Cache, it was fabulously rich on the surface in free gold quartz, 



48 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

easily reduced. It produced over a million dollars in gold before 
the barren zone was reached. Nothing has been done on the mine 
for years, and it practically lies as it did in 1866, when the miners 
gouged out the last ton of ore in sight that showed free gold to the 
naked eye. It was timbered poorly, the openings soon caved in, 
and so it remains to-day. It was a grand mine in its time and I 
believe will be again when properly developed. 



THE BARTLETT. 

The Bartlett, in the same locality, is a large vein showing to be 
15 or 20 feet in width. No great amount of development has been 
•done upon it. As far as uncovered, the ore is gray and white 
quartz, with spots of liver-colored iron, a little sulphides and a 
piece here and there showing copper indication. There is no sil- 
ver, and the gold contained in the ore is free. If there is a free 
milling proposition in the camp the Bartlett is the mine. How- 
ever, it is thought that when the water level is reached, the ore 
will be base and consequently change into a concentrating ore, as 
others have of the district. Should this prove true and the ore 
retain its present value, it would be a considerable factor in sup- 
plying tonnage for a railroad. The ore assays from $6 to $40 per 
ton. One hundred tons of the ore have been worked in the county 
by free mill, which yielded $7.30 per ton. 

THE KEYSTONE. 

The Keystone is a narrow mine of base gold ore, from one to 
two feet in width, sampling $30 per ton. This mine has been 
worked at intervals for the last 20 years, and has produced $60,000 
in gold. Were there facilities for working the ore near by or 
cheap transportation at hand, it could be mined profitably. There 
are 350 feet of tunnels and 285 feet of shafts on the mines and 
quite a large amount of stoping has been done. 

THE MUGWUMP. 

The Mugwump lode on the same hill has a shaft 40 feet deep, 
showing a vein 4 feet wide. A sample cut from the full face 
assayed 30 ounces silver and $18 gold to the ton. The vein has 
the appearance of developing into a good property. 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 49 

THE SNOWCAP AND GLORY OF THE FOURTH. 

Near the summit of Old Baldy, at the very head of the gulch 
and on the line of contact of the granite and lime, is the Snowcap 
lode. There are four distinct veins or crevices on the ground, 
though they all seem to belong to the same ledge. The three 
next to the granite, are granulated sandy quartz, containing free 
gold, assaying as high as $75 per ton. The vein next the lime is 
lead carbonate, carrying 70 ounces in silver. The core, or matter 
between the veins, is manganese, which is a very peculiar combi- 
nation for a quartz ledge; granite and gneiss for one wall, gold 
ore, manganese core, then silver carbonates with lime for a hanging 
wall. The owners are now erecting a free gold mill with which 
they intend working the free gold ore from the mine. The car- 
bonates will be stored for shipment. They have 400 tons on the 
dumps ready for shipment, and estimate to have 1,000 tons un- 
covered in the mine. There is a tunnel 350 feet on the vein be- 
sides a number of shafts and levels. The Glory of the Fourth, on 
Oro Cache mountain, has a three foot vein of free gold ore assay- 
ing $100 per ton, the ore from which will be reduced in the Snow- 
cap mill. 

PROBABLE TONNAGE IN ORE FOR A RAILROAD. 

From minute inquiry and thorough examination I conclude that 
the mines in the immediate vicinity of Virginia City could fur- 
nish with present openings tonnage per day to a railroad, as fol- 
lows: The J. T. C, Eandolph, and other mines at Summit, 150 
tons. The IT. S. Grant, Silver Bell, Prospect, El-Feleda and other 
mines, Alder Gulch, 250 tons. Mines at Brown's Gulch, 150 tons. 



THE MAMMOTH AND GRAND CENTRAL GROUP. 

On South Boulder, just over the divide from the Pony proper- 
ties, and conceded to be a continuation of that belt of ledges, is the 
Mammoth Group of mines, five patented claims and consisting of 
of the Mammoth and Leviathan, full claims and on the same vein, 
and the Grand Central, Boulder and Ready Cash, also full claims, 
and on the same vein. As a first class concentrating proposition I 
know of no group of mines in Montana that surpasses this prop- 
erty. The monster size of the veins, their locality and facilities 
for operating on a grand scale can not be excelled. The Mammoth 
is an immense quartz dike, towering above the face of the moun- 
tain 100 feet, and is more nearly like the famous Homestake of the 
4 



50 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

Black Hills than any mine that I know of. When it comes to be op- 
erated properly, it will be more like quarrying down a mountain 
than blasting and timbering a mine. This mass of ore is white and 
yellow quartz, with stringers of honey-comb rock cutting the 
stratum in every direction. On the surface the stringers are rich 
in free gold and many of them were " creviced " out by the early 
owners of the mine, who found this class of mining very profitable. 
There has been a tunnel driven into the mountain at right angles 
with the ledge, which, at a distance of 100 feet, cut the foot 
wall and was extended into the quartz some 12 feet. The ore at 
this point contains some iron and a little copper. The mine was 
experted last summer and samples taken from every portion of the 
vein, which by analysis gave $35 gold, 5 ounces silver, 10 percent 
iron and 6 per cent copper, to the ton. 

THE LEVIATHAN. 

The Leviathan, although an extension of the Mammoth, is much 
narrower and produces a higher grade of ore. The vein is com- 
pact and solid, between smooth granite walls. The ore crushed in 
a free gold mill near by ran as high as $100 per ton. 

THE GRAND CENTRAL. 

The Grand Central is my idea of the most perfect quartz mine 
I have ever examined, presenting as it does a solid mass of iron 
sulphide, some 6 feet in width, incased in perfect walls of gran- 
ite, with a talc gouge on either, of 6 inches in thickness. The 
vein has a dip of about 80' west and cuts the mountain, which is 
almost perpendicular, northeast and southwest, therefore great 
depth could be obtained by a tunnel driven into the mountain at 
the base and along the vein. The ore is a fine grain bluish gray 
iron, which has that lively, rich appearance peculiar to gold ore of 
that character. The fact of the matter is, it looks as if it would 
go away up into the thousands, though in this respect it is decep- 
tive, as it is not what can be termed a high grade ore. None of 
the base ore has ever been tested otherwise than with a free gold 
mill; by such means $10 per ton was obtained. The mine has 
been sampled repeatedly by the best mining experts in the terri- 
tory, the result of one such test as received from the person by me, 
gave $50 in gold, 20 ounces silver and 60 per cent iron per ton. 
On the surface and for some distance in depth the vein contained 
streaks of a very fine quality of free milling ore which was mined 
out and worked in a mill that stands at the foot of the hill on the 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 51 

creek. The mine is fairly well developed and has every promise of 
being a great producer were there a mode of handling the output. 
Immediately at the base of the mountain and within 2,000 feet of 
the main opening on the mine, flows one of the finest water pow- 
ers in the county, Boulder creek, with a never failing supply of 
3,000 inches of water, surrounded also by an abundance of the 
finest timber. I consider this one of the very best points in Mon- 
tana for large concentrating works. 

THE READY CASH. 

The Ready Cash, an extension of the Grand Central, has not 
been explored to so great an extent but has every indication of 
developing into as fine a property. This vein also produces gold- 
iron ore, though not in such massive form as the Central. How- 
ever its peculiar character renders it easy of concentration, which 
readily adapts it for furnace reduction. About six tons of the ore 
■can be put into one. that would assay from $80 to $100 per ton. 

THE BOULDER MINE. 

The Boulder mine has not attained depth sufficient to show base 
ore. though it is believed it will be only a matter of sinking a few 
feet when such ore will be uncovered, as all the mines thus far 
sunk on have run into iron. In the present openings the ore shows 
to be free, and some fabulously rich samples have been found, 
while the entire vein contains gold sufficient to be designated a 
high grade ore. 

Located as these mines are, within twelve miles of the roadbed 
constructed by the Union Pacific Co. some years since through the 
Jefferson canon, the owners, who are poor men, have from spring 
to summer, and summer to fall, each year expected the rails to be 
laid, but patience has become stale and they are tired of it; for lo! 
these many years the road has been so near and yet so far, and 
they are still without a railroad. 

ROCHESTER DISTRICT. 

Rochester District, situated in the McCarthy mountains, is one 
of the oldest quartz camps in the county, and has been worked in 
a small way successfully for years. The Watseka and Julia Holmes 
have produced quite a large amount of gold from free ore. The 
ore was free milling on the surface, but soon became base. For 
the last several years the output has been shipped east or to Butte. 
A large flow of water was encountered last summer in sinking to 



52 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

a lower level and work was suspended awaiting the erection of a 
hoisting and pumping plant, which is at present being placed, pre- 
paratory to working the mine vigorously. 

Several copper-men from Butte are pushing work on a copper 
prospect in the camp that is thought to be equal to the best ledges 
of the Butte copper belt. They find the same indications and 
manganese walls that are found on the Anaconda and extensions, 
and it is thought by the miners of the camp that a second Butte 
copper belt will be unearthed in this district. Should this prove to 
be the case, Eochester will not have to wait long for a railroad. 

A ledge called the New Mine, is a most excellent prospect. 
Three shafts, 50, 60 and 75 feet in depth have been sunk, and 75- 
feet of a level run. The vein is 2 feet wide, of ore assaying $75 
gold and 10 ounces silver to the ton. One hundred tons of ore 
have been shipped from the mine and 50 tons worked in the 
county, which gave a gross return of $9,000. There are 100 tons 
on the dump ready for shipment. 

THE EMMA MINE. 

The Emma mine in the same district has shipped 10 car loads. 
The Owsley mine, 8 car loads. The Watseka and other mines 25 
car loads, east and west, the past season. 

HAVANA DISTRICT. 

Havana District, east of the Madison river in Madison county r 
is a silver camp, and from time to time for the past 15 years has 
attracted considerable attention. I was unable to get reports from 
but one lead and was unable to visit the district. The Pilgrim 
mine has a double compartment shaft, down 120 feet, over which 
is erected the latest improved hoisting machinery. Levels have 
been run east 216 feet and west 257 feet on the vein, which is 36 
inches wide, filled with mono-oxide of iron and a silicious iron 
gangue; it is therefore a dry ore, containing 25 ounces of silver 
and $19 gold to the ton. One hundred and fifty-seven tons have 
been shipped to the Omaha and other smelters, over the N. P. E. 
E., which yielded from $42 to $91 per ton. The gross return from 
the 157 tons was $10,595.64. 

THE MADISONIAN MINE. 

The Madisonian mine, near the Madison canon, has probably 
produced as much ore as any mine in the county. From an early 
day to within a couple of years, the mine was worked continuously 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 53 

and had it not been for the great flow of water encountered at the 
400 foot level, the mine would be in operation at present. Water 
made its appearance in the mine near the surface, steam pumps 
were erected, and increased in size as greater depth was attained, 
but finding the water became too strong and as the ore was never 
but low grade, the company did not feel warranted in erecting 
heavier machinery and consequently the mine is idle and full of 
water. All of the ore above the 400 foot level has been stoped 
•out. The vein is from 5 to 8 feet wide, soft quartz, containing 
from $10 to $15 per ton free gold. The gross output of the mine I 
have been unable to learn, but I know that a 10 stamp mill was 
running on ore from the mine almost continuously for 15 years. 
The ore in the bottom of the 300 foot level was about the same 
character as on the surface and contained about the same amount 
of gold. I understand the expense of freeing the mine of water 
was as great as the entire other expense combined. 

PLACER MINING. 

Placer mining is carried on to a considerable exten^ in Bivins 
Gulch, where there are four fluming companies at work; also in 
Harris Gulch by three companies ; Bachelor Gulch by two com- 
panies; Barton Gulch, two companies; Idaho Gulch, two compa- 
nies; Brown's Gulch, two companies; Norwegian Gulch, two com- 
panies; Hot Spring Creek, two companies; and Parker Gulch, one 
company; all of which are doing well. As a proof that all the 
placer mines in the county have not yet been found, I will mention 
the fact that two Swedes, who had been chopping wood at the 
head of one of the mining gulches during last winter, started out 
in the spring to hunt diggings. Nothing was heard of them until 
a few days since when they came in with quite a large amount of 
gulch gold, two pieces in the lot worth fifty odd dollars each. This 
was washed out, I am told, from a gulch near Virginia City that 
had not been claimed. 

THE PLIOCENE CHANNEL. 

There is a Pliocene Channel, or gravel stream, extending a dis- 
tance of 40 miles, through Madison county. This ancient river 
bed traverses the highest mountains of the Tobacco Root range, 
and the gravel of the channel all contains gold. Bedrock has never 
been reached at any point along the channel ; although the at- 
tempt has been made repeatedly to sink on some of the highest 
mountains through which the channel passes, the great flow of 



54 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

water in the channel has prevented a greater depth than 100 feet 
being attained. Some very beautiful coarse gold is found in places 
along the channel. There is a company at present engaged in 
driving tunnels at different points into the gravel range, as it is 
called, and great hopes are entertained that a second " blue gravel 
lead" will be found, if bedrock in the channel can be reached. 

COAL. 

In traveling over the county I found there were extensive coal' 
fields skirting the mineral belt. The formation of the Ruby range 
of mountains is lime and sand stone. There is an area of 40- 
square miles in this range where numerous coal veins show on the 
surface, some of which are of great width. Considerable develop- 
ment work has been done on several of the veins and the most en- 
couraging prospects uncovered. The general character of the 
veins and the quality of the coal improve greatly with depth. It 
is the opinion of coal men, that this section is one of the finest 
coal fields in the west. The coal found is of a bituminous character, 
burns excellently in a stove or forge and can not be excelled for 
making steam. It is also claimed that some of the veins discov- 
ered contain a coal that will coke. This field was experted by an 
Eastern coal man last summer, and was pronounced by him to be 
the best coal and the most extensive field in Montana. Of course 
the distance from a railroad precludes working the mines at pres- 
ent to any extent. In the Madison range of mountains extensive 
coal fields have been discovered ; several veins in that locality are 
being developed and produce coal of an excellent quality, and 
smiths and farmers of the valley are using it for their forges and 
for fuel. The veins are large and lie admirably for mining. 

Where the lime sets in just beyond the head of Alder Gulch, flat- 
tering prospects of coal have also been discovered and great hopes 
are entertained of opening up coal mines near the smelting ores of 
that section of the county. 

TIMBER AND MEADOW LANDS. 

Along the upper Madison river, in the southern portion of the 
the county, the mountains and plateaus are covered with vast bodies 
of pine, hemlock, fir and spruce timber, and there are no other 
forests in the territory that offer so great a harvest for lumber- 
men, of course with a railroad within reach. The timber is large, 
uniformly straight, and free from limbs, and must be the source in 
the near future of the lumber supply for the mines of the territory. 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 55 

MINERAL PAINT AND OCHRE. 

Below and above this timber country are natural meadow lands, 
which for yield, variety, extent and quality of the grasses can not 
be surpassed in the world. For miles one may ride on a good 
sized horse with the wild timothy, red top, blue joint and bunch 
grass brushing his feet. Were there a railroad through the upper 
Madison, transporting this hay to market would be no small item 
of tonnage. >At present there is no market for hay if 'the grass 
were cut. In this same locality there are also some of the largest 
cement beds in the west, as also mountains, almost, of mineral 
paint, ochre, and many other things of natural wealth. 

. MICA. 

At the head of Granite gulch and within eight miles of Virginia 
City, several mica veins have been developed during the past year. 
No great depth has been reached on any of them, though a fine 
quality of mica has been found and in great quantities. The mica 
found in these mines is remarkably clear and free from iron or iron 
stain. The sheets are of good merchantable size. Experts who 
have examined the mines pronounce the prospect the most flatter- 
ing for the development of extensive deposits. 

FIRE CLAY. 

Banks of fire clay have also been discovered and located near 
Virginia City that are pronounced as good as can be desired. 

TIN. 

A stock company of eastern capitalists has been engaged for the 
past two years developing a tin mine on the Euby range with flat- 
tering results. The veins are large and permanent in appearance 
and the ore assays from 5 per cent to 20 per cent tin to the ton. 

ORNAMENTAL STONE. 

The variegated sedimentary stone of the upper Ruby, is a very 
beautiful ornamental rock that can be used for mantels, tables and 
mosaic floors ; many slabs found show every tint of the rainbow 
and are susceptible of the finest polish. 



56 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

FISH. 

While every stream and brook in the county abound with the 
finest mountain trout, the lakes at the head of the Madison and 
Snake rivers are full and crowded with salmon trout, a most ele- 
gant fish of salmon color, of from two to five pounds weight. 
Large quantities of these fish are speared or caught otherwise and 
hauled to the Butte and Helena markets by team, though the great 
distance renders the cost considerable and the fish less palatable 
than they are when taken from the water. A railroad up the Mad- 
ison would derive quite a traffic from this source. 

AGRICULTURAL. 

The valleys and benches of Madison county are peculiarly 
adapted to raising vegetables and the manufacture of butter and 
cheese. Of course at present butter and vegetables are a drug in 
the markets, butter being worth but twenty-five cents a pound, 
and to the product of the county comparatively no sale. As there 
is no difficulty in raising all kinds of vegetables, simply by the 
planting, and no mode of transporting to market, the price is nec- 
essarily nominal. With transportation near at hand, Madison, 
Willow Creek, Jefferson, Beaverhead and Ruby valleys could load 
a train daily with vegetables, butter and other farm products, and 
not increase the present acreage or dairy facilities. The universal 
cry from the farmers is, " give us a railroad and we will furnish 
tonnage that will astonish them." However it is needless for me 
to report what they promise to do or what they can do. The fol- 
lowing statistics in relation to the agricultural resources of the 
county are absolutely and without question correct, and it requires 
no great amount of business knowledge or acumen to see at a 
glance that such resources of the county will furnish ample ton- 
nage to insure the profitable operation of a railroad. This grain, 
hay and stock is disposed of every year in some manner ; were 
there a railroad in the county, of course that would be the mode 
of transporting the same to market. 

FLOURING MILLS. 

There are three flouring mills in the county, one full roller, one 
roller and buhr mill combined and one buhr mill, with a capacity 
of 165 barrels per day. During the year 1887, these mills received 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 57 

for manufacture, 185,000 bushels of wheat, manufactured 36,500 
barrels of flour, 2,700,000 pounds of bran and shorts, and shipped 
by wagon to markets outside of the county, 2,669 tons of flour, 
feed, bran and shorts. 

SAW MILLS. 

There are 6 saw mills, equipped with planers, etc., in the county, 
that manufactured during the year 1887, 1,800,000 feet of lumber 
and 1,300,000 shingles. Much of this material went out of the 
county, and was therefore hauled by team. 

QUARTZ MILLS. 

There are 18 quartz mills in the county, containing 210 stamps, 
all free gold mills excepting the New York & Montana Co's. mill 
at Virginia City, and the Carter, new process, mill at Eed Bluff. 
Both the latter mills are meeting with marked success in treating 
the refractory ores of the county. The New York & Montana Co., 
however, charge $25 per ton for reduction of custom ores, and it is 
only the higher grades of ore that will stand this tax. Larger 
mills and more conveniently located, of the same class as the New 
York & Montana Co's. would be a great boon to the mine owners 
of the county. The free gold mills as well as some 30 arastas are 
kept at work almost constantly on free ores. 

GOLD AND SILVER PRODUCT. 

From data obtained from the bankers and express companies of 
the county, the reports from miners and mine owners, and the re- 
port of the United States assay office at Helena, to the director 
of the United States mint, I am able to report the gold product of 
Madison county for the year 1887 at $1,500,000, and the silver pro- 
duct at $250,000. The amount of cereals, bay, straw, vegetables, 
etc., that were produced in the county during the year 1887 was 
obtained from the reports received from each individual farmer in 
the county, and has been substantiated by information derived from 
threshing machine owners, as well as by traveling over the county 
visiting farms, etc., and I am confident in this regard, as in all 
things else, it is true and correct. I therefore report the product 
of the county and acreage under cultivation for the year 1887, as 
follows, to-wit: 



58 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 

I give the values at going cash rates. 

Land under cultivation, year 1887, 68,410 acres. 

Wheat produced, bushels, 274,865, at 80c $219,892 00> 

Oats produced, bushels, 1,107,465, at 50c 553,732 50 

Barley produced, bushels, 15,810, at 80c 12,648 00 

Peas produced, bushels, 15,015, at $1 15,015 00> 

Potatoes produced, bushels, 227,700, at 50c 113,850 00 

Cabbage produced, pounds, 867,960, at 2*c 21,699 OQ 

Other vegetables produced, pounds, 1,164,900, at 2£c... 29, 122 50 

Hay produced, tons, 48,775, at $8 390,200 00- 

Straw produced, tons, 31,915, at $4 12,766 00 

Butter produced, pounds, 224,200, at 25c 56,050 00 

Cheese produced, pounds, 4,000, at 15c 600 00 

Beef steers produced, head, 9,370, at $35... 327,950 00' 

Mutton sheep, produced, head, 9,600, at $2.50 24,000 00 

Wool clip produced, pounds, 377,000, at 15c 56,550 0O 

Aged horses, produced, head, 8,825, at $75 661,875 00 

Hogs produced, head, 2,160, at $6 12,960 00 

Total value of product , $2,508,910 00 

The number of stock in the county, herewith reported, was ob- 
tained from reports received direct from the stockmen; the reports 
being added, make the following totals : 

Cattle all kinds, head, 65,717, at $20 $1,314,340 00' 

Horses all kinds, head, 39,835, at $30 1,195,050 00 

Sheep all kinds, head, 70,600, at $2.50 176,500 00 

Total value of stock $2,685,890 00 

The number of acres of land, for which title has been obtained 
from the United States government, was obtained from the United 
States land office, and this is the amount of land, also, that appears 
on the assessor's roll : 

Number acres land owned in county, 149,220, at $10 $1,492,200 

Improvements on land, town lots and improvements were se- 
cured from the assessor's roll, also amount of merchandise: 

Improvements on land $1,065,825 

Town lots and improvements, No. 37,570 370,200 

Merchandise 520.000 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 59* 

There are 50,000 acres of land not included in the above, thifc is- 
filed and settled upon but for which patents have not issued, and 
therefore not taxed, which is worth $500,000. 

Grand total of all property in the county, excluding mines of all 
kinds, as well as moneys and credits, $9,143,025. 

It is estimated by the business men of the county, that the total 
valuation of all kinds of property, both real and personal, exclud- 
ing mines, which are not taxed, except at the nominal government 
price of $2.50 per acre when patented, and moneys and credits, is 
not less than $10,000,000. 

TONNAGE OF 1887. 

Merchants report to have received, over the Utah Northern and 
Northern Pacific railroads, in 1887, 3,421 tons of merchandise. 

Farmers report to have shipped out 13,855 tons of farm products,, 
all moved by wagon. 

There were 100 car loads of beef steers shipped over the Utah 
Northern railroad and Northern Pacific railroad, to eastern mar- 
kets, during the year 1887, that were driven from the county of 
Madison. 

Confidence is felt that this report, carefully compiled as it has 
been, free of prejudice, and guarded against any overestimate in 
the several totals, is correct, as near as can be ascertained. My 
great confidence in the magnificent future awaiting the quartz 
mining industry of Madison county has made my task of exam- 
ining the mines and writing them up almost "a labor of love," and 
I have only to say of the mining portion of this report that I have- 
written of no mine that which I believe to be untrue. 

Eespectfully submitted, 
Geo. F. Cope, 

Compiler- 



<>0 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 



INFORMATION FOE HOME-SEEKERS AND EMIGRANTS 

AND A GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF MADISON 

COUNTY, MONTANA TERRITORY. 



The chief reason for compiling these statistics, has been, as the 
report itself sufficiently indicates, to induce railway building in 
Madison county. But among the reasons which have actuated the 
committee and the compiler, another stands almost equally prom- 
inent, to-wit: The unprecedented opportunities which the 
county of Madison offers to prospective settlers and home seekers 
upon the public domain as well as to capital, ever timid, for safe 
and profitable investment. True we have no railroads, but the 
time can not be deferred by any force of circumstances, to any dis- 
tant day, when railroads will traverse every valley in the county. 
Lands and mines from the very fact of there being no railroads in 
the county are low priced and easily obtained, but such a state of 
affairs can not exist long, and therefore now is the time to secure 
such property before the inevitable boom which our vast resources 
will surely bring, shall have come. There is no county in the 
west offering greater inducements to the miner, farmer, stock 
raiser and capitalist. 

The Madison valley is one of the largest and most productive 
valleys in Montana. There is yet considerable excellent farming 
and grazing land vacant in this valley, subject to location under 
the several land laws. The Willow Creek, Ruby, Jefferson and 
Beaverhead valleys in Madison county, though more thickly set- 
tled, have also large tracts of land that can be had by settling 
upon and improving. These valleys can not be excelled for pro- 
ductiveness on the globe; 75 bushels of wheat, 100 bushels of oats, 
600 bushels of potatoes, 50 bushels of peas, 60 bushels of barley, 3 
tons of timothy hay, 5 tons of alfalfa hay, to the acre, being the 
-average yield where crops are well attended. Cabbage, turnips, 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 61 

beets and other vegetables grow to an enormous size and are ex- 
cellent in flavor. Strawberries, currants and other berries are very 
productive. Many of our farmers have set out orchards of apples 
and other fruits. Last year the most attractive in appearance and 
finest flavored apples I have ever seen grew on a ranch in the 
Euby valley, while at the same time I saw trees the limbs of 
which were breaking from the weight of the fruit upon them. Of 
course it takes time to make an orchard, and they are yet rare in 
the county. 

The nutritive excellence of our natural grasses is well known 
far and near. Our peculiar climate curing the same on the land 
and our horses and cattle living upon it the year around, running 
on the open ranges, is no longer doubted even by the incredulous 
east. I saw hundreds of steers last March in the Madison valley 
that had been running out on the open range all winter, with no 
feed but that found on the ground, that were fat enough for the 
shambles of any market. However, you must bear in mind that 
the upper Madison range is the best in Montana, has not been 
eaten out and is not over crowded, as in most other portions of the 
territory. Madison county is literally a horse heaven, and no 
horse raiser has ever a thought of his horse stock not getting 
enough to eat on the mountains and foot hills of the open range. 
Sheep and wool can be grown very profitably in the county, and it 
is rare that they require any further outlay and expense than for a 
herder, so admirably adapted are our mountains for their success- 
ful raising. As an illustration of the profit connected with sheep 
raising, I will give you the experience of an average sheep man of 
the county. Five years ago he borrowed the money to buy 600 
ewes, paying $6 for the sheep and one and a quarter per cent per 
month for the money; he has now 3,000 head of sheep and does 
not owe a dollar. Tariff or no tariff, the sheep business will pay 
in Madison county; of course sheep men wish the tariff to remain 
as it is, but neither the Bushmen nor Hottentots can produce like 
wool for less money than the Montana shepherd. True some men 
who have engaged in the sheep business have failed, but I also 
heard of a man once who discovered a mine of solid gold 3 feet 
thick, with 6 feet of solid silver on top of the gold, and the man 
being poor, with no great amount of capital, broke himself, his 
friends and family, sinking a shaft through the silver cap endeav- 
oring to get to the gold, and died of a broken heart over his mis- 
fortunes and bad luck. 



«62 MINES, FARMS AND RANGES, 



C. 



The county is situated in the southern portion of the territory, 
and is bounded on the north by the counties of Jefferson and Gal- 
latin, on the west by Beaver Head and Deer Lodge counties, on the 
east by Gallatin county, an d on the south by Idaho territory. It 
contains grand ranges of mountains, long rapid rivers, and exten- 
sive and fertile valleys. 

Tobacco Eoot range of mountains, shoots out in a northerly 
•course from the Eocky Mountains west of Henry's Lake. It sep- 
arates the valleys of the Madison and Willow creek, from those of 
the Jefferson and Euby. Its principal peak is Mount Baldy, 
which attains an elevation of 9,191 feet, and has an extensive 
plateau at an altitude of 6,285 feet. The range is 85 miles in 
length. 

Snow Crest range, a spur from the Tobacco Eoot, shoots out 
from Mount Baldy in a southwesterly course, and separates the 
valleys of the upper Euby and Black Tail Deer. It is 30 miles in 
length, and at the head waters of Black Tail Deer creek attains an 
elevation of 10,067 feet. 

The Madison range leaves the Eocky Mountains near Yellow- 
stone lake, forms the divide, at first, between the Yellowstone and 
Fire Hole rivers, and then the dividing line between the counties 
of Madison and Gallatin ; it runs very nearly parallel with the To- 
bacco Eoot range, and is about the same length. Its principal 
elevated peak is Mount Washington, altitude not yet determined. 

The main range of the Eocky Mountains, which divides the head 
waters of the Columbia and Missouri, conies into the county near 
the head waters of the west fork of the Madison river. They 
meander, send out sharp spurs, and swing in ox-bow shapes, but 
their general course is west by northwest. The principal eleva- 
tions are Mount Jefferson and Table Mountain. Mount Jefferson 
is situated two miles west of Henry's Lake, at the termination of 
the principal meridian of Montana surveys. Its height is 9,000 feet. 
Table Mountain is at the dividing line between Madison and Deer 
Lodge counties, and has an elevation of 8,350 feet. 

The Euby Eange, the most beautiful mountains- in the county, 
appears to be isolated from other ranges and spurs. It forms an 
angle and is 30 miles in length. It separates the valleys of Beaver 
Head and Lower Euby, and attains an elevation of 8,300 feet 
above the level of the sea. 



MADISON COUNTY, MONTANA. 63 

The county is watered by the Madison, Jefferson, Kuby, Eed 
Hock, Beaver Head and Big Hole rivers, and their numerous trib- 
utaries. The principal valleys are those through which these 
waters flow, and they bear the same name as the rivers. For fer- 
tility of soil, they are unsurpassed by any lands on the continent. 

The principal minerals are gold, silver, lead, copper, iron and 
coal — precious stones are quite abundant, and among the most 
valuable are rubies, garnets and agates. There are ledges of white 
marble, aud also of excellent building rock; gold, however, is the 
chief article of export. 

The greater portion of the timber is confined to the mountains 
and head waters of the streams. It is of a superior quality for 
nearly all uses ; is exhaustless in quantity, and easy of access ; it 
-consists of red, yellow and white pine, spruce, fir and cedar. There 
.are some cotton wood trees on the banks of the rivers, and occa- 
sionally a grove of birch and quaking aspen trees may be found 
in the valleys. 

One of the prominent charms of the valleys is their clear, flow- 
ing streams, which abound with delicious brook and salmon trout, 
and, in some places, mountain bass are plentiful. The bear, ante- 
lope, wolf, elk and mountain sheep make their homes in the tim- 
ber, and grouse, pheasants, fool-hens, geese, ducks, squirrels, 
rabbits, foxes, beavers, etc., are quite plenty in the valleys, and in 
the vicinity of lakes and rivers. 

The climate is delightful, the worst storms happen in the winter 
season, and are then chiefly confined to the mountains. At the 
approach and departure of cold weather, there are sometimes mod- 
erate rains; but often months pass by without witnessing a cloud 
in the horizon. It is emphatically the land of sunshine, and the- 
atmosphere seemingly contains an absence of all the elements of 
pestilence and disease which place life in jeopardy. It appears to 
be the conviction of all who are familiar with the salubrity of the 
climate, that if proper care were taken, the laws of health obeyed, 
barring accidents, there are no reasons why persons spending 
their lives here, should not attain the ripe old age of a hundred 
years. 



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